Gwangju police are weighing whether to publicly release the identity of a man in his 20s accused of fatally stabbing a high school girl and attacking a high school boy with a knife on a street at night.
The Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday it plans to review whether to disclose the suspect’s personal information — a 24-year-old identified by the surname Jang — on May 7 or 8. Jang was arrested on an emergency basis on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Police allege Jang stabbed a 17-year-old girl, identified only as A, killing her on a sidewalk along a major road in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, at about 12:11 a.m. Tuesday. He is also accused of swinging the weapon at a 17-year-old boy, identified as B.
Under South Korea’s law on disclosing information about suspects in certain serious crimes, authorities may release a suspect’s identity if conditions are met, including severe harm, the brutality of the method, sufficient evidence, the public’s right to know and the public interest.
Police said they consider Jang eligible for review and are forming a panel of up to 10 members, including internal and external participants. They plan to seek an arrest warrant later Tuesday, and a hearing to review the warrant is scheduled for May 7.
Police said Jang fled after the attack and was arrested at about 11:24 a.m. Tuesday near his home in Wolgye-dong.
In questioning, Jang told police, “Life wasn’t fun, so I was thinking about suicide and decided to commit the crime,” according to investigators. Police said he decided to attack after seeing A walking alone.
A was taken to a hospital but died. B was injured but was reported to be in no life-threatening condition. The report said A had hoped to become an emergency medical technician and was attacked while returning home after studying late.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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