"'Hangang Fragmented Murder' Jang Dae-ho, Letter to Ilbe... 'Don't Kill Even If You're Angry'"

Jang Dae-ho, sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial for the 'Hangang Torso Murder Case' / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy reporters Seunggon Han and intern Juhyung Lim] Jang Dae-ho (38), who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial for the so-called 'Hangang Torso Corpse Case,' is believed to have sent a letter to a user of an online community.

In the letter, Jang Dae-ho advised, "No matter how angry you are, do not commit murder."

On the 12th, a letter presumed to be from Jang Dae-ho was posted on the online community 'Ilgan Best.' In the letter, Jang said, "Ilgye (a shortened term for users of the Ilbe bulletin board), no matter how angry you are, do not commit murder," adding, "Murder is not only a way to log out of this life but also one of the grave sins that affect your next life. And believe in Buddhism."

He continued, "I admit that I am a serious criminal who committed an inexcusable heinous act," and added, "I assert that the deceased was also a bad person."

Regarding the novel coronavirus infection, he said, "The Seoul Detention Center here is safe," and "Healthy people just get sick for a few days and overcome it, so I don't worry much."

Jang Dae-ho was arrested and prosecuted last August on charges of killing a guest, Mr. A, by hitting him with a blunt weapon at a motel in Guro-gu, Seoul, where he worked, then mutilating the corpse with a sharp weapon and abandoning it in the Hangang River. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial in November.

Meanwhile, Jang Dae-ho also wrote a 28-page memoir detailing his method and process of the crime and made it public externally.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.