The Ho Chi Minh City People's Court on September 4 sentenced Kim Jin, 31, to life imprisonment and Kang Yo Han, 30, to 20 years in prison after finding them guilty of murder.
The court also ordered the defendants to jointly compensate the victims. They must pay VND 5.2 billion (USD 199,300) to the family of Lee Seung Ho and VND 3.1 billion (USD 118,800) to Lee Suk Min.
Defendants Kim Jin, left, and Kang Yo Han at court (Photo: Xuan Duy).
The trial panel said the defendants had committed an act that was particularly dangerous to society, displaying hooligan behaviour and falling under the category of murdering two or more people. The court ruled that severe penalties were necessary to deter similar crimes and serve the public interest.
According to the indictment, at about 12.40 am on December 28, 2024, Lee Chang Dae, Yu Seung Hoon and several South Korean friends arrived at a restaurant on Tran Hung Dao Street in Cau Ong Lanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, for food, drinks and karaoke.
Yu later invited Dang Thi Tuyet Nhung, a Vietnamese woman, to join the group at the restaurant.
While heading to the toilet, Lee Chang Dae accidentally struck an LED display screen inside a private room. Restaurant staff demanded compensation for the damage, leading to an argument and a physical altercation. The restaurant manager subsequently contacted local police.
As some property in the venue had been damaged, Lee Seung Ho, the restaurant owner, instructed staff to retain the mobile phones and personal belongings of Lee Chang Dae's group. Nhung's phone was not taken, allowing her to send a message to Kim Jin informing him of the incident.
At the time, Kim Jin and Kang Yo Han were drinking nearby. They quickly travelled to the restaurant and, upon arrival, entered the room and joined the fight involving Lee Chang Dae's group.
When a police patrol team forced open the room door to inspect the situation, Lee Seung Ho had already died. Lee Suk Min, the restaurant manager, had suffered severe injuries and was rushed to hospital.
A forensic assessment later concluded that Lee Suk Min had sustained injuries resulting in an 87 per cent permanent disability rate.