Hong Jun-pyo: "If I become president, I will definitely execute such a person"... Outrage over the 20-month-old stepdaughter's sexual assault and murder case

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Regarding the case in which a man in his 20s was arrested and indicted for sexually assaulting and murdering his 20-month-old stepdaughter, Hong Joon-pyo, a presidential candidate from the opposition People Power Party, insisted on the 31st that the perpetrator must be sentenced to 'death penalty.'

On the same day, Hong shared an article related to the case on his Facebook and said, "Shouldn't such a guy be sentenced to death?" and added, "If I become president, I will definitely execute such a person."

Hong has consistently argued that the death penalty should be carried out for heinous criminals who cause serious social disturbances.

On May 21, he pointed out on Facebook, "There is a wrong trend in Korean society where supporting the death penalty execution leads to being labeled as far-right, and opposing it leads to being praised as a human rights advocate. There is also a mistaken perception that whether the death penalty is executed distinguishes a human rights country from an uncivilized country, which is the current reality."

He continued, "Are Japan and the United States, which carry out executions every year, uncivilized countries?" and explained, "Our Constitutional Court has ruled the death penalty system constitutional, and courts frequently hand down death sentences."

He said, "According to the Criminal Procedure Act, the Minister of Justice is required to carry out the death penalty within six months after the final death sentence," and added, "Since the last executions of the Makgapa and Jijeonpa groups at the end of December 1997, there has been a 24-year-long dereliction of duty by the Minister of Justice regarding the obligation to execute the death penalty in our country."

He emphasized, "Is it acceptable to consider only the right to life of heinous criminals and disregard the lifelong suffering endured by the families of victims who were unjustly victimized by heinous crimes?" and "From the perspective of establishing a social safety net, the execution of death sentences for heinous criminals must be resumed."

Yang Mo (29), who is accused of abusing and causing the death of her 20-month-old daughter, is leaving Dunsan Police Station in Seo-gu, Daejeon, on the afternoon of the 14th of last month to attend a pre-trial detention hearing at the Daejeon District Court.
Photo by Yonhap News

In June, in Daejeon, a man in his 20s sexually assaulted and abused his 20-month-old stepdaughter, causing her death. According to reports, Daejeon District Court Criminal Division 12 (Chief Judge Yoo Seok-cheol) is hearing the case involving Yang Mo, who is charged with child abuse murder and violation of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Crimes (rape of a minor under 13), and Jeong Mo, the biological mother, who is charged with concealment of a corpse.

Yang is accused of covering his stepdaughter A with four blankets while intoxicated in the early morning of June 15, beating and stepping on her for about an hour, causing her death. After A's death, Yang and Jeong placed the body in an icebox and left it in the bathroom inside the house. It was also confirmed that Yang raped A two days before her death, on June 13.

Yang's inhumane criminal acts have sparked significant public outrage. Regarding this case, on the 30th, a post titled "Please disclose the identity of the child abuse murderer who brutally abused, sexually assaulted, and killed a 20-month-old girl" was uploaded on the Blue House National Petition Board. As of 4 p.m. on the 31st, this petition has received over 100,000 signatures.

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