Kim So-young, 20, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing two men and injuring four others with drug-laced drinks, will begin her appeal trial next month.
The Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 7, led by Judge Koo Hoe-geun, will hold the first hearing on October 21 for Kim's case involving charges of murder, aggravated assault, and violations of the Drug Control Act. Both Kim and the prosecution have appealed the first trial's verdict.
Kim was arrested and indicted in March for administering benzodiazepine-laced drinks to three men in their 20s between December last year and February this year, resulting in the deaths of two and leaving one in a state of unconsciousness. Further investigations revealed that she had committed similar acts against three other men, leading to additional charges of aggravated assault and violations of the Drug Control Act.
In last month's ruling, the first trial court sentenced Kim to life imprisonment and ordered her to wear an electronic monitoring device for 30 years. The prosecution sought the death penalty.
The court acknowledged that Kim had engaged in the killings with implied intent, stating, "She learned about the dangers of drugs through repeated conversations with ChatGPT and committed the acts while foreseeing the possibility of the victims' deaths." Implied intent refers to recognizing and accepting the likelihood of a victim's death, even if it was not the primary goal.
The court noted, "Despite planning the crimes and providing implausible excuses, it is difficult to conclude that there are special circumstances warranting a death sentence, considering her low intelligence, difficult upbringing, and the need for proportionality with similar cases."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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