Tae Yoon,…
By Kathianne Boniello
One teen from Flushing and another from Bay Terrace were sentenced to nearly 20 years in jail last week in the brutal murder of a livery cab driver in June 1998 on a dead-end street in Bayside, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Tae Yoon, 19, of 146-25 Georgia Rd. in Flushing and Samuel Chung, 18, of 200-06 Cross Island Parkway in Bay Terrace, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder charges in January for the killing of Hyong Kyu Kim, 42.
State Supreme Court Judge Robert Hanophy sentenced Yoon to a term of from 19 years to life in prison, while Chung was given 15 years to life in jail for the botched robbery attempt that turned into murder in the deadend at 47th Avenue near 204th Street in Bayside on June 17, 1998.
Kim had lived in Flushing for about 10 years and worked the night shift as a livery cab driver for ABC Taxi in Flushing for a week before his death.
A third teen, Eric Chi, 18, of 57-27 228th St. had pleaded guilty earlier and was awaiting sentencing. Chi was facing a term of from eight to 16 years in prison.
Brown’s office said the teens hatched a plot to rob a livery cab driver while playing pool. Chung, Chi and several teens who still have not been arrested waited at 204-41 47th Ave. while Yoon called ABC Taxi from a pay phone for a cab to meet him at the intersection of Springfield Boulevard and Horace Harding Expressway, the DA said.
When Yoon, driven by Kim, arrived, the DA said, the teen pulled out a gun and fatally shot the cab driver.
“This was the brutal and senseless slaying of a hardworking livery cab driver,” the district attorney said in a statement.
Yoon called ABC Taxi for a cab, the DA’s office said, while Chung, Chi and others who were never caught waited at 204-41 47th Ave. for the cab to arrive.
Kim’s body was discovered the next morning in his cab by 47th Avenue residents who said the vehicle was still running and had the windshield wiper blades.
Reach reporter Kathianne Boniello by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 146.
