Court: "Must be held accountable for murder without any special reason"
[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] A Chinese compatriot, Mr. A, who was arrested and indicted on charges of murdering two people in Daerim-dong, Seoul, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial.
The Criminal Division 14 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Dong-hyun) delivered this sentence on the 10th at the sentencing hearing for Mr. A, who was charged with murder.
The court explained the reason for the verdict, stating, "A human life is an irreplaceable value," and "The defendant killed the victims without any particular reason and has not been forgiven by their families, so he must bear the corresponding responsibility."
Mr. A was arrested and indicted on charges of stabbing and killing a man and a woman in their 50s, also Chinese compatriots, in an alley in Daerim-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, last January. At the time of the crime, Mr. A was intoxicated and reportedly stated during police investigation that he committed the crime because "my ex-girlfriend refused to reconcile and ignored me."
Additionally, Mr. B, who was jointly indicted on charges of assaulting the victims with beer bottles and other objects during the crime, was sentenced to two years in prison.
The court pointed out, "It seems the defendant did not know that Mr. A had the intent to kill," but added, "Given such a horrific outcome, we cannot impose a sentence equivalent to simple assault."
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