[Exclusive] Kim So-young in 'Gangbuk Motel Serial Murder Case' Submits Letter of Remorse Ahead of Trial

According to Financial News, Kim So-young, 20, the defendant in the 'Gangbuk motel serial murder case,' has submitted a letter of remorse ahead of her first trial. The move is seen as an attempt to minimize the length of her sentence.
According to the legal community on the 6th, Kim, who has been indicted and detained on charges of murder, aggravated assault, and violating the Narcotics Control Act, submitted her letter of remorse on the 1st. Her first hearing is scheduled to take place at the Seoul Northern District Court on the 9th.
The specific content of Kim's letter of remorse has not been disclosed. However, given that she continued to deny having intent to kill during the police investigation, it is possible that similar claims are included.
Some in legal circles view this as a strategy to seek a reduced sentence by arguing that, while she regrets the offenses, she "did not intend to kill," thereby trying to lower the charge from murder to a lesser offense of causing death. Under the Supreme Court's Sentencing Guidelines Table, "genuine remorse" is regarded as one of the most typical mitigating factors, along with having no prior criminal record.
However, it remains unclear whether the court will treat this as a ground for mitigation, given the number of victims, the calculated nature of the crime, the lack of restitution, and the public sense of justice. As a result, whether the prosecution can prove intent to kill is expected to be the central issue in Kim's upcoming trial.
Kim is accused of giving drinks laced with benzodiazepine-based drugs to six men in their 20s and 30s between December last year and February this year, causing them to lose consciousness or die. Two of the victims died, while four others were injured, according to the investigation.

jyseo@fnnews.com Seo Ji-yoon Reporter