40-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Killing Cohabiting Woman Over Living Expenses

Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Yeon-ju] A man in his 50s who killed his cohabiting partner after a dispute over living expenses was sentenced to a heavy prison term again in the appellate court.

The Jeonju Branch of the Gwangju High Court, 1st Criminal Division (Chief Judge Kim Sung-joo) announced on the 16th that it dismissed the appeals of both the defendant and the prosecution in the appeal trial of A (46), who was charged with murder, and upheld the original sentence of 10 years in prison.

The court stated the sentencing rationale, saying, "Considering that the defendant appears to have committed the crime impulsively during an argument with the victim, that he admitted to the crime and showed remorse during the appeal trial, and that he surrendered to the investigative authorities after the crime, the original sentence does not seem excessively harsh or lenient."

A was tried on charges of strangling his cohabiting partner B (45) to death during a quarrel over living expenses at a house in Iksan, Jeonbuk, around 7 p.m. on October 6 last year.

At the time, A reportedly pushed B, who was trying to leave while saying that 500,000 won was all he had, and committed the crime when B attempted to report to the police.

It was confirmed that A surrendered to the investigative authorities after the crime.

According to the police investigation, the couple had been living together since 2012, and they had argued several times because A only provided 500,000 won for living expenses.

A claimed during the police investigation and in court that B did not die from strangulation but from hitting her head on the floor.

The first trial court reportedly rejected A's claim, considering the autopsy report and the defendant's statements to the prosecution.

Both A and the prosecution appealed the first trial verdict.