'Husband Acquitted of Killing Pregnant Wife Wins Another Lawsuit Over Billions in Insurance Money'

A husband who was acquitted in a criminal trial on murder charges after his pregnant wife died in a traffic accident won again in a lawsuit against the insurance company.

Seoul High Court, Seocho-dong, Seoul. Photo by Mun Ho-nam munonam@

On the 8th, the Civil Division 9 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Seong Ji-yong, Baek Suk-jong, Yoo Dong-gyun) ruled in the appeal trial of a lawsuit filed by Mr. Lee (53) against Samsung Life Insurance, ordering "a lump sum payment of 202 million won to Mr. Lee and 60 million won to Mr. Lee's children," affirming the first trial's decision in favor of the plaintiff.

Samsung Life Insurance was also ordered to pay a total of 6 million won monthly to Mr. Lee and his children until June 2055. The total amount the insurer must pay is approximately 3.1 billion won.

Previously, on August 23, 2014, Mr. Lee was driving a van and collided with a parked truck, resulting in the death of his 7-month pregnant wife (then 24 years old) who was riding with him.

The prosecution indicted Mr. Lee on charges including murder and insurance fraud. They raised concerns about the fact that from 2008 to 2014, he had taken out 25 insurance policies with his wife as the insured and himself as the beneficiary. The total insured amount was 9.5 billion won in principal alone, and with delayed interest, it was investigated to exceed 10 billion won.

However, the court judged that "the motive for the crime is not clear," acquitted him of murder and fraud charges, and only recognized guilt under the Special Act on the Settlement of Traffic Accidents for causing death, sentencing him to two years in prison in March 2021.

Mr. Lee also filed civil lawsuits against other insurance companies besides Samsung Life Insurance. Among these, the lawsuit filed against Saemaeul Geumgo Central Association was partially won by Mr. Lee's side, as confirmed by the Supreme Court in April.