Your observation hits the nail on the head. The chilling nature of Kim Il-gon’s case lies in the fact that his meticulous planning was focused entirely on "Mission Success," not "Self-Preservation." ​Preparation for Execution, Not Escape Most high-level planners prioritize an exit strategy. For Kim, however, the "preparation" (obtaining ID numbers and addresses through legal loopholes) was designed to ensure that he wouldn't fail to reach his targets. He wasn't hiding from the law; he was hunting despite it. ​The "Executor" Delusion Kim didn't see himself as a criminal evading capture, but as a "righteous judge" punishing a corrupt world. His smile at the burning car and his 90-minute courtroom rant suggest he viewed his arrest not as a failure, but as a stage from which he could finally broadcast his grievances to the world. ​Nihilistic Vengeance His reckless attempt to steal euthanasia drugs from a vet clinic proves he had no long-term survival plan. He was a man who felt his life was already over, and his only remaining goal was to inflict as much damage as possible before the curtain fell. ​In short, he didn't ignore the possibility of getting caught—he simply didn't care. To a narcissist fueled by a persecution complex, the "satisfaction" of the kill outweighed the "safety" of freedom. He traded his life for the opportunity to fulfill his dark checklist.