Man Who Called Every 2 Minutes for 10 Hours Eventually Stabbed Girlfriend with a Knife

Court: "Date Violence Crimes Must Be Severely Punished"

Mr. A, after hearing from Mr. B that they wanted to break up, kept calling every 2 to 3 minutes for 10 hours and then went to confront him in person, attacking with a weapon. The photo is not related to the specific content of the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] A man in his 30s who was prosecuted for repeatedly calling his girlfriend every 2 to 3 minutes for 10 hours after she broke up with him, then going to her house and attempting to kill her with a weapon, was sentenced to prison. The man also secretly entered his girlfriend's house and threw her pet dog, causing its death.

On the 27th, the 14th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Ryu Kyung-jin) sentenced Mr. A to 3 years and 6 months in prison on charges of attempted murder, trespassing, and violation of the Animal Protection Act.

Mr. A is accused of stabbing his girlfriend, Ms. B, multiple times with a weapon on the stairs of a multi-unit residential building in Incheon at around 11:10 p.m. on June 2.

As a result of the attack, Ms. B sustained injuries to her chest and jaw and was diagnosed with traumatic hemorrhagic shock, requiring 4 weeks of medical treatment.

Prior to the attack, about an hour earlier, Mr. A entered Ms. B’s house through the terrace and threw her pet dog. The dog was later diagnosed with a high likelihood of death and was euthanized.

Investigations revealed that after Ms. B told Mr. A she wanted to break up, he continuously called her every 2 to 3 minutes for 10 hours before going to her house and committing the crime.

Although the prosecution did not apply charges under the Stalking Punishment Act at the time of indictment, the court determined that the crime was committed in a stalking context and considered this as an aggravating factor in sentencing.

The court explained, "When the victim was transported to the hospital, she was in a dangerous condition due to severe bleeding, and she suffers from aftereffects such as unrecovered severed nerves," adding, "The victim also suffers mental damage, unable to live a normal life due to stress and anxiety from fearing that the defendant might stab her anywhere."

Furthermore, the court stated, "The defendant committed the crime after calling the victim continuously for 10 hours following the breakup notice," and emphasized, "Such dating violence crimes can be repeated due to the special relationship between the perpetrator and the victim, so strict punishment is necessary."

However, the court noted, "The defendant is a first-time offender who shows remorse and the crime does not appear to be premeditated," and considered that "the victim, who reached a settlement with the defendant, expressed a desire not to pursue punishment," as reasons for sentencing.