"The Whole World Doesn't Hate Me"… 'Attempted Murder' Defendant Opens Up After Judge's Persuasion

Seoul Central District Court Judge Yoo Young-geun
Homeless Man Charged with 'Attempted Murder' Speaks Out

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] "Mr. Lee Jinho (alias). The world does not hate you entirely. There are many people willing to listen, so please think more about what might help your life." (Judge)

On the morning of the 2nd at a courtroom on the 4th floor of the West Building of the Seoul Central District Court, Chief Judge Yoo Younggeun of Criminal Division 23 repeatedly questioned 39-year-old Mr. Lee, who was detained and indicted on charges including attempted murder.

Mr. Lee, who was homeless near Seoul City Hall Station, was brought to trial on charges of stabbing a victim more than ten times with a weapon on May 14th during a daytime argument, attempting to kill, but the attempt failed as bystanders intervened. This was the first hearing. Three correctional officers surrounded the defendant’s seat in preparation for any sudden incidents, and three court security officers also observed the trial.

When asked about his date of birth, address, and whether he admitted the charges, Mr. Lee responded with a blank expression, saying only "I don't remember" or "I don't know." He twisted his upper body in his chair and grimaced as if tired of the repeated questions.

However, Chief Judge Yoo did not stop. "Defendant, do you not remember your actions?" "(While watching CCTV footage) Is that you wielding the weapon like that?" "Are you admitting guilt, saying you don’t know, or denying it?..." He also encouraged a response, saying, "You don’t have many prior convictions. I don’t think Mr. Lee Jinho is such a bad person. But you are dangerous, aren’t you?"

Then Mr. Lee began to speak. From the dialogue, it was gathered that he grew up in an orphanage from the age of three. He dropped out of high school. He worked delivery jobs around the provinces but never received a salary and was instead mistreated by people. Eventually, he became homeless. This was information he had not shared even with his public defender.

In response, Chief Judge Yoo said, "Would you consider undergoing a psychiatric evaluation?" and persuaded Mr. Lee, "We will conduct a sentencing investigation, so tell the investigator anything that might be favorable to you." He proposed the sentencing investigation ahead of the defense counsel. A sentencing investigation is a procedure that examines factors such as the defendant’s family background, criminal record, circumstances of the crime, and whether a settlement has been reached, which are considered when determining the sentence. The prosecutor also expressed a positive stance.

Mr. Lee shook his head and refused. He said he disliked anyone talking to him and that he hated the trial dragging on. He said it would be better to go to prison quickly. The defense counsel said, "Although the defendant explicitly opposes it, it would be better to undergo the (psychiatric) evaluation."

Chief Judge Yoo emphasized, "The state is spending money for you, providing a lawyer and everything for your benefit." He added, "Even though you committed a very dangerous act, we are following legal procedures. I hope you think carefully and admit your wrongdoing. I don’t know if Mr. Lee Jinho will hear this..." and concluded the hearing for the day.

The court decided to take about three months for Mr. Lee’s psychiatric evaluation and other matters and scheduled the next hearing for October 15.

Chief Judge Yoo Younggeun (51, Judicial Research and Training Institute class 27) gained attention in 2016 by publishing "Why Are We Wronged?" which analyzed Koreans’ grievances with sociological imagination and legal balance. In the 2020 judicial evaluation conducted by the Seoul Bar Association, he was selected as one of 22 outstanding judges and, along with Judge Kim Somang of the Ansan Branch of Suwon District Court, received a perfect average score of 100 points.

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