"My Daughter Is Dead, Yet Charged with Injury Resulting in Death"…Mother of Geoje Victim Cries Out

Man Who Assaulted Ex-Girlfriend in Geoje Charged with Injury Resulting in Death
"Sentence is Only 3 Years or More in Prison"
"Police Must Take Responsibility and Improve Investigation"

In Geoje, Gyeongnam, the suspect in his 20s, Kim, who assaulted his ex-girlfriend causing her death in the so-called 'Geoje Ex-Girlfriend Assault Case,' was transferred to the prosecution last month. Meanwhile, a national petition calling for harsher punishments for perpetrators of dating violence has drawn attention. The petition was reportedly posted by B, the mother of the victim.

In a post on the National Assembly's National Consent Petition on the 14th, B stated, "While my daughter was taken to the emergency room, the perpetrator was calmly sleeping at the victim's house. After my daughter’s death on the 10th, he was released from emergency detention on the 11th, and on the 13th, he was drinking with friends, showing no remorse, saying things like 'I broke up with my girlfriend. I will study hard to get into a better university and meet a better girlfriend.'"

Suspect in the so-called 'Geoje Ex-Girlfriend Murder Case,' Kim Mo, in his 20s [Image source=Online community capture]

She continued, "My young daughter, only 21 years old, was pronounced dead at Geoje Baek Hospital due to multiple organ failure and sepsis caused by assault," adding, "Our family is plunged into extreme grief and shock by this devastating reality."

She also expressed, "Only after losing my daughter did I realize how frightening the world is, and I am anxious and scared about how to raise my remaining children. My youngest child in puberty avoids coming home because seeing my late daughter's room reminds her of her sister. The perpetrator knows our home address, and our family’s mental and physical health has deteriorated so much that we had no choice but to move."

She said, "There must be no second or third victims. No one should suffer the same pain as our family," and added, "Although it was revealed that my daughter died from assault by the perpetrator, he was only charged with injury resulting in death, trespassing, and stalking. Even after killing a person, the sentence is only over three years in prison, and he will still be in his 20s after serving the sentence. Injury resulting in death is considered accidental killing, but the perpetrator clearly assaulted my daughter while restraining her so she could not resist," expressing her outrage.

The parents of the victim in the Gyeongnam Geoje ex-girlfriend assault death case are entering the Changwon District Court Tongyeong Branch to submit a petition urging severe punishment for the perpetrator.
[Photo by Lee Seryeong, Asia Economy]

She further demanded, "The Geoje police, who released the perpetrator 11 times without issue, must be held fully accountable, and the investigation manual for dating violence must be completely revised." She added, "My daughter reported the perpetrator 11 times, but the police repeatedly treated it as mutual assault and released him. Kim became even more arrogant and told my daughter, 'Now I will hit you with my fists,' and 'Even if you die, it’s not my fault.'"

The petition has garnered over 28,000 signatures as of the morning of the 17th, three days after it was posted. If it receives more than 50,000 signatures within 30 days of publication, it will be forwarded to the relevant committee of the National Assembly, where discussions on related legal amendments will take place.

Meanwhile, Kim is accused of unlawfully entering the residence of his ex-girlfriend, a woman in her 20s, around 8 a.m. on April 1 and assaulting her. The victim was diagnosed with injuries requiring six weeks of treatment and was hospitalized. She died on the evening of April 10 at 10:18 p.m. due to high fever and worsening condition.

The National Forensic Service initially gave a verbal opinion that the cause of death was not assault, but after a detailed autopsy requested by the police, it was concluded that death was likely due to complications from head injuries.

Based on the autopsy results, the police applied for an arrest warrant for Kim, and the court issued the warrant citing the risk of flight. On the 22nd of last month, the police transferred Kim to the Tongyeong branch of the Changwon District Prosecutors' Office with charges including injury resulting in death.