Gwangju Stabbing Victim Memorial Altar for High School Girl to Operate for Citizens from 18th to 22nd

"A Place to Mourn This Tragic Farewell"

High School Girl Killed in Jang Yoongi's 'Rage Crime'

A citizens' memorial altar will be set up to honor the memory of A, a 17-year-old high school girl who was the victim of the knife attack in Gwangju.

On the afternoon of the 6th, a citizen placed a beverage down on a pedestrian walkway in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. A female high school student was fatally stabbed, and a male high school student was injured by a weapon wielded by Jang Yoon-gi (24), who is accused of murder committed on Children's Day at this location. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to Yonhap News on the 16th, the Sigadong Association of Institutions and Social Organizations in Gwangsan District, Gwangju, plans to set up and operate a citizens' memorial altar for A, the victim of the knife attack, in the vacant lot next to the Sigadong Administrative Welfare Center for five days, from the 18th to the 22nd.

The memorial altar will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to receive mourners. There will also be a designated space for citizens to leave flowers and write messages in memory of the deceased, allowing them to pay their respects and leave final words.

Previously, A, a high school student, was stabbed by a knife wielded by the suspect, Jang Yoongi (23), at around 9:11 p.m. on May 5 in a street in Wolgye-dong, Gwangsan District, Gwangju. She was taken to the hospital but ultimately passed away.

According to police analysis of the ongoing investigation, Jang Yoongi committed the retaliatory "rage crime" against random people after harboring resentment when a female coworker rejected his romantic advances.

A representative of the association explained, "We feel deep sorrow over the tragic loss of A, who was not only a resident of our community but also a diligent youth pursuing her dreams." The representative added, "We decided to operate the memorial altar to provide a place for local residents to come together, offer their condolences, and mourn this heartbreaking farewell."

Since the fatal knife attack on the high school girl in Gwangju, citizens have been paying tribute to A. Residents of Cheomdan 2-dong in Gwangju have voluntarily set up a memorial space, and a local florist has shared chrysanthemums for free with citizens as a gesture of condolence.

The florist shared that many citizens came to buy flowers for the memorial right after the incident, but there were no chrysanthemums in stock at the store ahead of Parents' Day, which left him feeling regretful for being unable to help. He went directly to the flower market to buy more chrysanthemums and placed them in front of the store. A sign was also posted in front of the shop reading, "These chrysanthemums are to commemorate the Cheomdan high school girl who went to heaven. Please take one each."

He also posted a short message on his social media, saying, "Feel free to take a chrysanthemum," so that citizens could participate in the memorial without hesitation.

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