Serial Killer Lee Chun-jae's Face Not Disclosed, What Do You Think? [Han Seung-gon's Case Notebook]

Lee Chun-jae Revealed After 34 Years... Appears as Witness in Retrial Today
Court Denies Filming, Recognizes Lee Chun-jae Only as Witness, Not Defendant
Citizens Demand "Face of Notorious Serial Killer" Be Publicly Disclosed

Serial killer Lee Chun-jae (56). Photos are a 1980s composite sketch of Lee Chun-jae (left) and high school student Lee Chun-jae (right). Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] Controversy has arisen over the 'face reveal' of Lee Chun-jae (56), the perpetrator of the 'Lee Chun-jae Serial Murder Case,' considered the worst unsolved violent crime case in South Korea's history, as he appeared on the 2nd not as a defendant but as a witness in the retrial of the 8th case he committed.

The court ruled that Lee Chun-jae, being only a witness and not a defendant, did not permit filming. However, some citizens argue that the public's right to know should be guaranteed by revealing the face of the notorious serial killer who indiscriminately murdered victims ranging from elementary school students to women in their 70s, mutilated the bodies, and abandoned them.

Experts emphasize that considering the heinous nature of Lee Chun-jae's crimes, it is necessary to examine who benefits more from keeping his face undisclosed ? Lee Chun-jae himself or the public.

Lee Chun-jae appeared in court at 1:30 p.m. on the 2nd at the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 12 (Presiding Judge Park Jeong-je). It has been 34 years since the crimes. However, he appeared not as a suspect in the serial murder cases but as a witness in the retrial of the 8th case. As a 'witness,' Lee Chun-jae is expected to testify about the 8th case, which has been subject to controversy regarding the true culprit.

The 8th case involved Park Mo (then 13 years old), who was sexually assaulted and killed while sleeping at her home in Jinan-ri, Taean-eup, Hwaseong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, on September 16, 1988.

The following year, Yoon Seong-yeo was arrested as the suspect and sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial. Yoon admitted to the crime until the first trial but claimed in the second and third trials that he had been tortured into making a false confession, which the court did not accept.

After serving 20 years in prison, Yoon was released in 2009 following a sentence reduction and filed for a retrial last November after Lee Chun-jae's confession. The prosecution and defense requested Lee Chun-jae as a witness at the second preparatory hearing held on April 13 to verify the credibility of the confession.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

However, Lee Chun-jae's face will not be disclosed through the media. The court prohibited filming at the hearing on the 26th of last month, stating that Lee Chun-jae is only a witness, not a defendant.

The Court Organization Act allows filming inside the courtroom before the trial begins or at the pronouncement of judgment if it is necessary for the public interest or with the defendant's consent.

Since Lee Chun-jae is only a witness, the trial proceeds with the procedure where the witness comes to the witness stand from the gallery after the judge calls their name after the trial begins, so the condition for filming 'before the trial begins' cannot be met.

However, considering the public interest in Lee Chun-jae's testimony and appearance, the court plans to use an additional relay courtroom outside the main courtroom to allow as many spectators as possible to attend Lee Chun-jae's testimony.

As a result, many citizens express confusion and dissatisfaction over the face not being disclosed in media reports.

Kim Mo, a company employee in his 40s, said, "Isn't Lee Chun-jae a notorious serial killer?" He pointed out, "In cases of perpetrators of violent crimes like Kang Ho-soon, their faces are all disclosed in the interest of the public's right to know." He added, "Based on this standard, it seems that since the statute of limitations has expired and this is a retrial, the face is not being disclosed, but I don't think this decision considers the victims."

Another office worker in his 30s, Lee Mo, said, "Compared to other criminals, Lee Chun-jae's crimes are extremely brutal and horrific." He criticized, "He has not properly apologized to the victims and their families, and in some ways, it seems like he is just enjoying the situation." He emphasized, "For these reasons, his face should be revealed to receive 'social judgment.'"

On the morning of September 7, at the Suwon District Court in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Yoon Seong-yeo, the petitioner for retrial, is attending the 5th hearing of the 8th serial murder case of Lee Chun-jae. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Summarizing citizens' opinions, while it is correct under current law to prohibit filming of witnesses, in Lee Chun-jae's case, the public's right to know is considered to take precedence. It is also interpreted as anger over the brutal murders and mutilation of victims ranging from elementary school students to the elderly, with no direct apology from him.

Experts suggest examining who benefits from keeping Lee Chun-jae's face undisclosed.

Professor Oh Yoon-sung of the Department of Police Administration at Soonchunhyang University explained, "First of all, Lee Chun-jae is not a simple witness. Since the statute of limitations has expired, he cannot be punished, and knowing this, he confessed to the '8th case,' which led to the retrial. That is why he appears in court as a witness."

Professor Oh continued, "Lee Chun-jae's crimes (serial murders) are extremely heinous. From that perspective, his personal information or face should be disclosed through the media. Applying the law strictly based on his legal status as a witness, such as prohibiting filming, requires us to consider who benefits from this regulation ? Lee Chun-jae or the public."

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