Top court upholds life sentence for Sindang Station killer
Published: 12 Oct. 2023, 14:36
![Jeon Joo-hwan, stalker and murderer, who killed his co-worker on Sept. 14 last year, being escorted to the prosecutors' office by the police on Sept. 21 2022. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2023/10/12/995e316b-4eb9-4e33-ad3e-92a4845ec2a7.jpg)
Jeon Joo-hwan, stalker and murderer, who killed his co-worker on Sept. 14 last year, being escorted to the prosecutors' office by the police on Sept. 21 2022. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]
In addition to the life imprisonment, the penalty requiring Jeon to wear a tracking device for 15 years has also been upheld.
The Supreme Court determined that the defendant's claim that a life sentence is too harsh is not justified when considering the motive and the means used to commit the crime.
Jeon committed his crime on Sept. 14 last year when he murdered a 28-year-old former co-worker, whom he had been stalking, in the women's toilet at Sindang Station Line No. 2.
She was attacked while on patrol by herself.
The murder occurred just one day before the court was set to deliver a sentence against Jeon for stalking the victim on 351 accounts, including sending threatening messages.
The prosecution had initially requested a nine-year sentence.
The victim had endured three years of harassment from Jeon, which included illegal filming and blackmailing.
The Seoul Metro fired Jeon in 2021. However, he continued harassing the victim.
In the initial ruling, Jeon was sentenced to 40 years in prison with 15 years wearing an electronic ankle bracelet.
However, in the appeal court, the sentence was raised to life imprisonment as the judge emphasized the pain and fear the victim might have experienced before her life was tragically taken.
BY LEE HO-JEONG [lee.hojeong@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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