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🇰🇷 South Korea /Crime & Justice

Gwangju murder victim's identity revealed by parents hoping to prevent future tragedies

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The parents of a 17-year-old girl murdered in Gwangju have chosen to release her name and face to the public.
  • They hope this will prevent similar tragedies and ensure their daughter, Lee Chae-won, is remembered.
  • Lee dreamed of becoming an emergency medical technician and was described as an exceptionally kind child.

The parents of Lee Chae-won, a 17-year-old high school student tragically killed in Gwangju, have made the difficult decision to reveal her identity and image to the public. They believe this is necessary to prevent future victims and to ensure their daughter is remembered not just as a victim of a crime, but as a person with dreams and aspirations.

We decided to release her name because we want the name Lee Chae-won to be remembered, and we hope this tragedy is not repeated.

— Lee's fatherExplaining the decision to release his daughter's identity to the public.

"We decided to release her name because we want the name Lee Chae-won to be remembered, and we hope this tragedy is not repeated," said her father, identified as Mr. Lee, 49. Her mother, Ms. Choi, 43, added, "People talk about the incident, but I feel like they are forgetting what kind of child Chae-won was. I just hope no one else suffers the same fate."

Lee Chae-won had a clear ambition to study emergency medicine and become a rescuer. Her parents described her as an exceptionally kind and gentle child who never once raised her voice at them. Her room remains as she left it, with textbooks and school supplies on her desk and her uniform hanging on the rack. Music she enjoyed still plays on her tablet.

People talk about the incident, but I feel like they are forgetting what kind of child Chae-won was. I just hope no one else suffers the same fate.

— Lee's motherExpressing her concern that her daughter is being forgotten amidst the focus on the crime.

The parents are also appealing for the perpetrator, Jang Yun-gi, 23, to be severely punished and permanently isolated from society. "I never want him to be released into this world again," Mr. Lee pleaded, visibly distressed. The incident occurred on May 5th when Jang allegedly stabbed Lee Chae-won as she returned home from studying, and then injured a male student who came to her aid. Police believe Jang acted out of revenge after being rejected by another woman.

I never want him to be released into this world again.

— Lee's fatherAppealing for severe punishment for the perpetrator.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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