Jang Yun-gi, 23, charged with murder and other offenses, is transferred from the Gwangju Seo-gu Western Police Station to prosecutors on May 14. [Newsis]
Jang Yun-gi, 23, charged with murder and other offenses, is transferred from the Gwangju Seo-gu Western Police Station to prosecutors on May 14. [Newsis]

Jang Yun-gi, 23, who killed a high school girl in Gwangju, had left the rear door of his vehicle open when he carried out the attack, it has emerged.

Prosecutors, who charged Jang with murder in the course of rape, plan to present the detail as evidence at trial to prove he attempted to abduct the victim for the purpose of sexual assault.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Jang parked his vehicle in a secluded spot on May 5 and, with the rear passenger door left open, grabbed the victim from behind and put her in a chokehold. Prosecutors said they captured the scene on closed-circuit television footage.

Whether Jang had attempted a kidnapping was a central question during the police investigation. After indicting him, prosecutors reviewed additional investigative materials and completed their analysis of the CCTV footage.

Prosecutors also designated as evidence a bloodstain the victim left on the exterior of the vehicle when Jang closed the rear passenger door while fleeing the scene.

"This is material that proves Jang's true criminal intent was kidnapping and rape," prosecutors said, adding they plan to submit the CCTV footage and related evidence for admission at trial.

Prosecutors have also secured a sex doll with concentrated damage to the chest and neck areas, as well as testimony from people who knew Jang, to establish his distorted sexual attitudes.

Also expected to be disclosed at trial are records showing that Jang repeatedly made remarks from his high school years suggesting scenarios similar to this case — including abducting someone by vehicle for the purpose of a sex crime — along with notes in which he treated women around him as sexual targets.

At his first hearing on June 22, Jang acknowledged most of the charges against him, including that the crime was premeditated, but deferred comment on whether rape was the motive for the killing, saying he needed to consult his attorney first.

Throughout the police and prosecutorial investigations, he consistently claimed the attack was impulsive, saying he had decided to take his own life and wanted to bring someone with him.

Jang's next hearing is scheduled for the morning of July 13 at the Gwangju District Court's main criminal courtroom.


20ki@heraldcorp.com