Kim Rea (27), who killed his girlfriend after she announced their breakup and also injured her mother, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
On the 23rd, the 14th Criminal Division of Suwon District Court (Presiding Judge Ko Kwonhong) sentenced Kim, who was detained and prosecuted for murder and attempted murder, to life imprisonment and ordered five years of probation after the sentence execution.
The court stated, "The defendant, due to a misguided obsession with his romantic partner, stabbed the victim in the neck, chest, and leg with a weapon after receiving a breakup notice, causing the victim to die on the spot," adding, "There are no mitigating circumstances regarding the motive, and both the method and the result of the crime are extremely cruel and horrific." It further explained, "He showed no hesitation even in the face of the victim's mother's desperate attempts to save her. The killing process was bold and even ruthless."
Moreover, the court said, "There was a disregard for human life, as the defendant believed he could take another person's life to satisfy his emotional desires," and "The victim likely ended her life feeling indescribable fear and physical pain," explaining the reasons for sentencing.
It continued, "The victim's mother lost her child in an instant. The mental anger, pain, and devastating feelings of a mother who had no choice but to watch her daughter die are unimaginable, and the trauma is expected to last for a considerable time," the court ruled.
Furthermore, "Although the defendant claims to reflect on his crime up to this trial, he expresses doubts about genuine remorse by blaming the victim's behavior for his aggressive tendencies or claiming diminished mental capacity," the court said. "Considering all sentencing factors, it is appropriate to permanently isolate the defendant from society to protect the lives of its members and to allow time for apology and repentance to the victim's family."
The defense argued during the trial that Kim was suffering from depression at the time and was in a diminished mental state due to consuming soju and painkillers just before the crime.
However, the court rejected this claim, stating, "At the time of the crime, the defendant sat in the hallway near the front door while keeping the victims inside the room, then precisely stabbed the victims' necks and chests with a weapon," adding, "This does not appear to be the behavior or thinking of a person with impaired judgment or decision-making ability."
Additionally, the court dismissed the defense's claim of a 'sudden crime,' saying, "Upon noticing the victim's belongings missing from the residence, the defendant sensed the breakup and, driven by betrayal and anger, intended to kill. When the mother came to the residence, realizing the breakup could no longer be reversed, he firmly decided to kill and proceeded with a premeditated crime."
Wearing a light blue prison uniform, Kim showed no particular emotional change and kept his head bowed for about 30 minutes while listening to the court's verdict at the defendant's seat.
The victim A's mother wiped away tears throughout the judge's sentencing from the gallery.
On March 25 at around 9:35 a.m., at his residence in Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province, Kim attacked his girlfriend A (21), who came to end their relationship, and her mother B (46) with a weapon, killing A. He is also charged with causing serious injuries to B, who suffered injuries requiring at least 10 weeks of medical treatment.
Kim had shown strong obsession toward his girlfriend, often saying, "If I break up with A, I will kill her and then myself." He also displayed violent tendencies, such as breaking A's phone by throwing it during arguments and bruising her arm by hitting it with his fist.
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