'Gangbuk Motel Serial Murders' Suspect Kim So-young [Provided by Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office]

The personal information of the suspect in the 'Gangbuk Motel Serial Murders' case, who repeatedly killed two men with drugged beverages, was released on the 9th.

The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office, after deliberation by the Personal Information Disclosure Committee, released the name, age, and mug shot of suspect Kim So-young (20), who was arrested and transferred from the police in connection with this case.

The disclosure period is from today until the 8th of next month.

Under the law on disclosure of information on perpetrators of serious crimes, prosecutors can refer suspects accused of specific serious crimes, such as violent offenses, to the Personal Information Disclosure Committee to decide whether to disclose their personal information. Although the police did not initially disclose the suspect's personal information, the prosecution decided to do so, deeming it necessary.

The Personal Information Disclosure Law stipulates that personal information may be disclosed if: ▲ the means of the crime were cruel and resulted in significant harm, ▲ there is sufficient evidence to believe the suspect committed the crime, and ▲ disclosure is necessary for the public interest, such as guaranteeing the public's right to know and preventing recidivism and crime by the suspect.

Kim So-young is accused of giving drinks containing benzodiazepine drugs to three men in their 20s from mid-December last year to March 9th, causing them to lose consciousness or die.

Two of them died, and one is recovering after receiving treatment.

Kim So-young stated to the police, "It is true that I took the psychiatric medication I was prescribed, mixed it with a hangover remedy, and gave it to the men," but claimed she did not know the victims would die. This has led to interpretations that she is trying to deny the intent to kill and argue that the deaths were unintentional, in order to reduce her sentence.

However, the police determined that Kim So-young had the intent to kill and transferred her to the prosecution on March 19th, applying murder charges rather than charges of causing death by injury.

The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office announced on the afternoon of the 9th the mug shot, name, and age of Kim So-young (20, arrested), the suspect accused of repeatedly killing two men with drugged beverages. Under the law on disclosure of information on perpetrators of serious crimes, prosecutors can refer suspects accused of specific serious crimes, such as violent offenses, to the Personal Information Disclosure Committee to decide whether to disclose their personal information. Kim So-young's personal information will be posted on the Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office website until the 8th of next month. 2026.3.9 [Provided by Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office]

Meanwhile, it was revealed that Kim So-young scored 25 out of 40 on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) administered by the police. The police have stated that she was identified as a psychopath.

The psychopathy diagnostic test is a measure that quantifies the personality traits of psychopaths, such as callousness, impulsivity, lack of empathy, and irresponsibility. It consists of 20 items, with a maximum score of 40. In South Korea, scores exceeding 25 are typically classified as psychopathic.

It was also revealed that Kim So-young was involved in several theft incidents in 2024 while attending a youth center in Seoul. She reportedly stole items from people around her, such as wallets and AirPods, as her family's financial situation was not affluent.

The police also stated in the transfer decision document that Kim So-young committed the crimes to satisfy her personal desires while experiencing financial difficulties.

Prior to this, during the police investigation phase, Kim So-young's personal information was not disclosed. However, some netizens on the internet began to disclose his social media (SNS) accounts, photos, and high school he attended, leading to controversy over 'private sanctions' and side effects such as a surge in SNS followers.

In response, the prosecution obtained the suspect's consent to make his SNS account private.