After revealing late 17-year-old Lee Chae-won's identity, her family calls for measures to prevent similar tragedies A portrait of Lee Chae-won, a 17-year-old high school student killed in a May 5 stabbing attack in Gwangju, was released by the victim’s family Tuesday. (Yonhap) The parents of Lee Chae-won, a 17-year-old high school student killed in a stabbing attack on Children’s Day, have shared their daughter’s story with local media this week.Lee was described as a kindhearted teenager who dreamed of becoming a paramedic. The coverage gave a face and a life to a girl who had previously been known to the public only as a victim of a violent crime in Gwangju on May 5.Her parents are among a growing number of bereaved families who have voluntarily revealed the identities of murder victims, often with the hope of keeping the victims from being forgotten and pressing authorities to introduce preventive measures.“Only parents can appeal to the world and say these incidents must never happen again. What we can do for our daughter is to make sure she is not forgotten,” Lee’s mother told local broadcaster MBC.Lee’s alleged killer, Jang Yoon-gi, had his identity disclosed by police in accordance with legal criteria. He is accused of attacking Lee and injuring another high school student who tried to stop him.Lee’s identity would normally remain undisclosed under the law to protect the dignity of the deceased and the family's privacy. But more bereaved families are choosing to tell the public who the victims were, with a common goal of pushing for changes that could prevent similar tragedies.Jang has been charged with murder, attempted murder of the other student, preparation to commit murder and sexual assault against another female victim. If convicted, he is likely to face the heaviest punishment available under the law.“I hope the perpetrator never sees the light of day again. It drives me insane to picture my daughter in the emergency room,” Lee’s father was quoted as saying, adding that no one should have to suffer such a tragedy again.Lee’s family is working with civic groups to collect signatures calling for stern punishment for Jang. More than 7,000 signatures had been gathered as of Tuesday morning. The family plans to submit the petition and signatures to the court handling Jang’s criminal case.Father identifies daughter killed at schoolIn February 2025, the father of 7-year-old Kim Ha-neul, who was stabbed to death by a teacher at her school on Feb. 10, told reporters there must “never be another Haneul.” He released the child’s date of birth and photo, hoping public attention would push authorities to investigate the school’s culpability in the murder.The killer, Myung Jae-wan, whose murder conviction was upheld by the Supreme Court in April, was a teacher who had been suffering from severe depression. In the aftermath of the incident, public scrutiny grew over why a teacher who had reportedly displayed violent behavior before the crime had been allowed to continue working at an elementary school.“To think a person with depression was allowed to teach, especially the youngest grades in elementary school. ... A high school boy may have stopped her, since she was a woman in her 40s,” Ha-neul’s father said.The incident sparked calls for the so-called “Haneul Law,” a package of legal revisions aimed at preventing attacks by teachers against students. One proposed revision, requiring surveillance cameras throughout schools except inside classrooms, passed a parliamentary committee in February.Some proposals have drawn criticism and debate, including a measure that would force teachers with severe physical or psychological issues to take leave. Many teachers have opposed the idea, citing concerns over potential violations of their basic rights and privacy.The Korean Neuropsychiatric Association cautioned against directly linking mental illness to crime.“Just because a depressed patient committed a crime, one should not directly assume that depression is the cause of the crime. Such thinking stigmatizes patients suffering from depression and hinders treatment,” the association said in a statement. (Illustration by Park Ji-young/The Korea Herald) Family speaks out after stalking victim's murderTwo months after a 38-year-old Incheon woman was stabbed to death by her ex-boyfriend in 2023, the victim’s cousin revealed her name and photo through an online community. She also posted KakaoTalk messages between the victim and the killer, which showed that the then 31-year-old man had stalked the victim in an attempt to meet her.The killer, surnamed Seol, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for murder, with the sentence upheld by the Supreme Court in 2024. His identity was not disclosed to the public. The cousin later told local media that she came forward out of fear that Seol could receive a relatively light sentence if public attention moved away from the case.The victim was stabbed to death in front of her 6-year-old daughter and her mother on July 17, 2023. Her mother was also injured while trying to stop Seol. The victim had reported Seol to police multiple times for stalking, leading to several arrests and court orders, but they ultimately failed to prevent the killing.After the ruling, the cousin described the case to reporters as “a crime allowed by the state.” She has since campaigned for legislation to better protect victims who have or had a personal relationship with the perpetrator.In February, she told a local media outlet that her campaign had yet to bear fruit, as the proposed revision remained pending at the National Assembly.All of the families who revealed the names of their loved ones have said they hope to set in motion measures that could prevent similar tragedies. The cousin of the Incheon victim said stronger legal systems are needed, adding that police should have recognized the danger years earlier.“She specifically wrote that she was afraid he would visit her again, yet the police still failed to see the danger,” the cousin was quoted as saying. Jang Yoon-gi, suspected of murdering a high school student in Gwangju on May 5, is taken from Gwangju Seobu Police Station to the prosecution on May 14. (Yonhap)