Court Sentences Defendants in 'Daejeon Kookmin Bank Robbery and Murder' to Life Imprisonment and 20 Years in Prison

On September 2nd last year, Lee Jeong-hak, the defendant in the 'Daejeon Kookmin Bank robbery and murder' case, was seen leaving Dunsan Police Station in Daejeon, bound with handcuffs.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] The defendants in the 'Daejeon Kookmin Bank Pistol Robbery and Murder' case, apprehended 21 years after the crime in 2001, were sentenced to heavy prison terms.

The Criminal Division 12 of the Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Na Sang-hoon) on the 17th sentenced Lee Seung-man (53) and Lee Jeong-hak (52), who were indicted for robbery and murder, to life imprisonment and 20 years in prison, respectively. Lee Seung-man was also ordered to wear an electronic tracking device (electronic anklet) for 20 years, and Lee Jeong-hak for 10 years.

The court stated, "Lee Seung-man aimed directly at the victim with a highly lethal pistol and fired a targeted shot," adding, "Despite this, he shows no remorse, shifting all blame onto his accomplice."

Regarding the accomplice Lee Jeong-hak, the court explained the sentencing rationale, saying, "Considering that he played a supportive role in the crime under Lee Seung-man's instructions and that his confession helped clarify the circumstances of this long-unsolved case."

Furthermore, the court emphasized, "The deceased victim died trying to prevent the robbery with a strong sense of responsibility and sincerity," and "Since the victim's righteous and good actions led to this tragedy, the blameworthiness is significant."

Lee Seung-man and Lee Jeong-hak were arrested and indicted on charges of robbery and murder for blocking a cash transport vehicle with a passenger car in the underground parking lot of Kookmin Bank in Dunsan-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, around 10 a.m. on December 21, 2001. They shot and killed Kim (then 45), the bank's cashier manager, with a .38 caliber pistol that had been taken from the police two months prior to the crime, and fled with a bag containing 300 million won in cash.

The police compared the DNA information from a mask and handkerchief found in the car used in the crime with DNA from illegal game rooms in the Chungbuk area, and on August 25 of last year, they apprehended the two suspects. This was 7,553 days after the incident occurred.

Earlier, the prosecution requested the death penalty for Lee Seung-man and life imprisonment for Lee Jeong-hak during the sentencing hearing held last month.

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