60-Year-Old Sentenced to 2.5 Years for Kidnapping Conspiracy

A 60-year-old man has been sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for plotting to kidnap celebrities and wealthy individuals in South Korea. The Seoul Central District Court revealed that the defendant, identified as A, had devised a plan to extort billions of won from his targets, which included entertainers and business tycoons. He had gathered personal information such as home addresses and vehicle numbers of his intended victims and even searched online for suppliers of inhalation anesthetics to use during the abduction.

In his quest for an accomplice, A browsed a sex offender notification site and approached a man, referred to as B, living in Ulsan. He proposed a scheme to B, claiming he had detailed knowledge of the victims' residences and vehicles, and aimed to steal between 1 billion to 2 billion won. The following day, A met with B to discuss the execution of the plan.

However, after several days without a response from B, A decided to proceed alone. He gathered weapons, including a knife, gas gun, and handcuffs, from his home in Miryang, Gyeongnam, and traveled to a hotel in Seoul. There, he purchased additional items like a stun gun and pepper spray, and scouted affluent neighborhoods in Gangnam and Yongsan for potential targets over the course of a week.

A's plot was ultimately uncovered when B reported him to the police, fearing repercussions from A's unsolicited contact. B, who had previously served time for a sexual offense, was living a normal life when he received A's call.

In court, A claimed he was merely making fanciful statements and had no real intention to commit a crime. However, the court noted his preparation of criminal tools, his online searches for high-end neighborhoods, and his attempts to recruit other accomplices, alongside his history of multiple robbery offenses. The court emphasized that A had meticulously planned the crime and had a clear intent to carry it out, leading to the imposition of a significant sentence. Additionally, due to the high risk of reoffending, A was ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device for five years following his release.