Jeju Middle School Student Murderer Attempts Self-Harm in Detention... Reincarcerated After Treatment

Head Injured by Hitting Wall in Detention Cell, Hospitalized with Bleeding... No Threat to Life
Requested Protection from Domestic Violence Earlier This Month but Could Not Prevent Crime

Mr. A being transported to a hospital in Jeju City [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A suspect detained on charges of murdering his ex-lover's son attempted self-harm and received hospital treatment.

According to Jeju Police Agency on the 22nd, at around 1:36 p.m., A (46), who was taken into custody at Jeju Dongbu Police Station on charges of killing the 16-year-old son of his former cohabiting partner, attempted self-harm.

A reportedly repeatedly banged his head against the detention center wall, causing bleeding.

Police who discovered this called 119, and A was transported to a nearby hospital where he received suturing treatment before being returned to the detention center.

Earlier, A, along with acquaintance B (46), secretly broke into a house in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, through a window at around 3:16 p.m. on the 18th and killed D (16), the son of cohabiting partner C.

D was found dead with his hands and feet tied in the attic of the house at around 10:50 p.m. on the day of the incident. His mother, C, who returned home from work, reported the case to the police.

The initial autopsy results suggest that D died from suffocation caused by strangulation.

Earlier this month, mother C reported A for domestic violence and requested police protection. The police suspect that A committed the crime out of resentment over this.

The police installed CCTV at the residence and imposed emergency temporary measures on A, including a ban on approaching within 100 meters of the residence and prohibition of contact via telecommunications, and increased patrols, but ultimately failed to prevent the crime.

During the police investigation, A admitted to the charges, but acquaintance B partially denied involvement, claiming he did not directly participate in the murder.

On the 19th, Mr. A, in his 40s, who was arrested by the Jeju Dongbu Police Station on charges of killing the teenage son of his former cohabiting partner, is responding to questions from the press.
Photo by Yonhap News

Meanwhile, it was confirmed that A had previously committed several retaliatory crimes against women who had broken up with him. In 2003, he set fire to the house of a woman who had ended their relationship, and seven years later, he threatened to kill and assaulted the same woman.

As a result, in 2011, Baek was sentenced to two years in prison with a three-year probation, but he committed another crime during the probation period. Ultimately, A was sentenced to six months in prison and incarcerated.