Seoul, Dec 15 (IANS): Prosecutors on Wednesday demanded the death penalty for a stalker charged with killing his online game mate and two of her family members during his appellate court hearing in Seoul.

The demand was made at the Seoul High Court for Kim Tae-hyun who was sentenced to life imprisonment by a district court in October on five criminal charges, including murder, housebreaking and theft, Yonhap news agency reported.

The 25-year-old Kim was arrested in March for killing a woman whom he met through an online game last year, her mother and her younger sister at their home in northern Seoul. Kim reportedly stalked his online game mate and committed the brutal murders after she refused to meet him.

Prosecutors said Kim deserves the maximum penalty allowed by law because his crime was brutal and the stalking victim's family members were killed.

The appellate court said it plans to hold the sentencing hearing for Kim on January 19 next year.