Gwangju High School Girl Stabbing Suspect Diagnosed as "Not a Psychopath"

Profiler Quantifies Personality Traits
Falls Short of 25-Point Psychopathy Classification Threshold

The results of a diagnostic test have found that the suspect who fatally stabbed a high school girl in downtown Gwangju does not meet the criteria for being classified as a psychopath (antisocial personality disorder).

On the morning of the 7th, suspect Jang, involved in a 'random murder' case, was seen leaving the Gwangju District Court in Dong-gu, Gwangju, after completing his detention hearing. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency and the Gwangsan Police Station on May 11, Jang (24), who was arrested and detained on charges of murder and attempted murder, underwent a psychopathy diagnostic test (PCL-R) and scored less than 25 points, which falls short of the classification criteria.

The police conducted the test to confirm any antisocial tendencies, considering that Jang committed the crime against unfamiliar high school students without any clear motive or purpose.

A profiler was brought in to conduct multiple interviews with Jang, and his personality traits—including impulsivity, lack of empathy, and irresponsibility—were quantified based on his responses to 20 questions.

In Korea, scoring above 25 out of a possible 40 points typically results in a psychopathy classification, but in Jang's case, his score was below 25, which does not meet the criteria.

The police investigation to uncover the circumstances and specific motive behind the crime has been ongoing for a week.

Investigators have confiscated Jang's mobile phone and requested digital forensic analysis, and are currently analyzing the materials obtained to determine his motive, as he claims the crime was impulsive.

The police have also received records related to a complaint filed by a Vietnamese acquaintance of Jang with a police station in North Gyeongsang Province before the incident, and are verifying the facts.

They are additionally investigating whether the woman, who reported Jang as a stalker, was actually subjected to stalking or assault.

So far, no additional criminal charges beyond murder and attempted murder have been identified.

Personal information of Jang, whose public disclosure was decided through a committee review, is scheduled to be released on the website of the Gwangju Metropolitan Police Agency for one month starting May 14.

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