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Home / World

Woman suspected of using ChatGPT to plan double murder in South Korea

NZ Herald
23 Feb, 2026 09:36 PM3 mins to read

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A woman has been accused of using ChatGPT to plot two murders. Photo / 123rf

A woman has been accused of using ChatGPT to plot two murders. Photo / 123rf

A woman in South Korea has been accused of using ChatGPT to help plan the murders of two men, with police investigating whether there may be further victims.

Police said the 21-year-old, identified only by her surname Kim, sought advice from the AI chatbot about the effects of mixing alcohol and prescription medication, according to the Korean Herald.

“What happens if you take sleeping pills with alcohol?” Kim allegedly asked, following up with questions such as “How much would be considered dangerous?” and “Could it be fatal?”.

The outlet reported Kim was arrested and charged earlier this month after allegedly serving the victims drinks laced with benzodiazepines - medication she had been prescribed for mental illness.

Police alleged that on January 28, Kim checked into a motel in Gangbuk-gu with a man in his 20s.

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She reportedly left two hours later, and his body was found on a bed in the room about 6pm the next day.

Authorities said she followed a similar pattern on February 9, checking into another Seoul motel with another man in his 20s.

She was arrested two days later, charged with inflicting bodily injury resulting in death, the BBC reported.

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Police further alleged Kim unsuccessfully tried to kill her partner in December by giving him a drink mixed with sedatives in a café carpark in Namyangju.

He reportedly lost consciousness, but woke up some time later.

Police claimed Kim supposedly increased the dosage of benzodiazepines, commonly prescribed for anxiety and known to slow brain and nervous system activity, in later incidents.

Kim is said to have confessed during questioning to mixing the drugs into the victims’ drinks but claimed she did not believe the doses were lethal, according to the Korea Herald.

Police, however, allege she was “fully aware that consuming alcohol together with drugs could result in death”.

Following the discovery of her ChatGPT search history, her charges were upgraded to murder.

Police said the searches demonstrated intent, though a motive has not yet been disclosed, People reported.

They said Kim had undergone a psychopathy evaluation and extensive interviews to build a psychological profile which might be considered during court proceedings.

They are also understood to be investigating if there are more victims than the three identified so far.

Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.

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