The suspect in the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Gwangju is believed to have committed a sexual attack against a Vietnamese woman in her 20s just two days before the random attack on May 5 that has shocked the nation.
Officials at the Chilgok Police Station in North Gyeongsang Province said they received a report on May 4 from the Vietnamese victim that the suspect, surnamed Jang, had sexually attacked her the previous day. The two had become acquainted as co-workers at a restaurant, and Jang allegedly stalked her for over a year.
According to the report, the victim wanted to move in order to avoid his harassment. Jang came over to her home pleading with her not to go, which led to the reported sexual attack on May 3.
The victim escaped to her sister's home in Chilgok, over 200 kilometers from Gwangju. Chilgok police transferred the sex crime case to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency on May 6, a day after the suspect is believed to have killed the high school girl.
The 24-year-old suspect carried out an apparently random attack against a high school female student at around midnight, stabbing her to death. A 17-year-old male student attempted to help the victim, but he also was stabbed in the neck, although he managed to escape fatal injuries.
Jang was not acquainted with either victims of the knife attack.
He reportedly told police that he wanted to kill himself, and attacked the female victim because he saw her walking past him. Despite his claim, police believe the killing was premeditated.
Police have made their assessment on the observation that Jang had prepared the weapon — with a backup knife still wrapped up — and roamed scarcely populated areas for two days beforehand. He had also used a burner phone and stayed at an empty residence that was not his home.
Police plan to reveal Jang's full name and other information to the public Thursday.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
