Kim Donghwan, Airline Captain Murder Suspect, Requests Jury Trial

by Woo Sooyoun

Published 21 Apr.2026 20:16(KST)

Kim Donghwan (49), who was indicted and detained on charges including murder for targeting six former colleagues at an airline and actually killing one of them, has requested a jury trial.

According to legal sources on April 21, Kim Donghwan's attorney submitted a confirmation of intent for a jury trial and his own opinion to the Busan District Court, Criminal Division 7 (Presiding Judge Lim Juhyuk) on the same day.

Going forward, the court will decide whether to proceed with a jury trial. Kim Donghwan, who is known to have appointed a public defender, is scheduled to have his first trial on May 19.

Suspect Donghwan Kim, former colleague, arrested on charges of murdering an airline pilot. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Kim Donghwan is accused of stabbing and killing Captain A, a former colleague at an airline, with a weapon at an apartment in Busanjin-gu, Busan, at approximately 5:30 a.m. on March 17.

The day before the murder of A, he also attempted to kill Captain B, another workplace colleague, by attacking him at a residence in Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, and trying to strangle him with a tool, but failed and fled the scene.

Immediately after killing A, Kim Donghwan went to the residence of another former colleague, C, in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, intending to commit additional crimes, but did not succeed. He then fled to Ulsan but was apprehended by the police approximately 14 hours after the crimes.