Suspected Affair and Stalking After Breakup Notice
Man Visits Girlfriend's Office to Commit Crime
A man in his 50s who suspected infidelity and killed his girlfriend after she broke up with him was sentenced to a heavy prison term.
On the 24th, the 22nd Criminal Division of Cheongju District Court sentenced Mr. A, a man in his 50s who was tried on charges of murder, to 27 years in prison, according to Yonhap News on the same day. Mr. A is accused of visiting a real estate agency office in Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, operated by his girlfriend Ms. B (also in her 50s), at around 2:15 p.m. on May 20 and strangling her to death.
Earlier, after Ms. B informed Mr. A of their breakup, he suspected her of infidelity and stalked her. On the day of the incident, Mr. A went to Ms. B's office to confront her about the alleged affair. When Ms. B denied the infidelity, a verbal argument ensued, which ended with the murder. Immediately after the crime, Mr. A discarded his mobile phone and fled by car. The police tracked CCTV footage near the scene and arrested Mr. A the next day on a street in Hwabuk-myeon, Sangju-si, Gyeongbuk. During the police investigation, Mr. A stated that he suspected Ms. B of infidelity and went to reconcile after their argument, but she said she could no longer live with him, which provoked him to commit the crime. He also repeatedly claimed during the trial that he acted impulsively because Ms. B made insulting remarks toward him. However, the court did not accept this claim.
The court explained, "It is recognized that the defendant planned the crime by checking with other employees working at the office whether the victim was alone before the incident." Regarding the sentencing, the court stated, "Even if there were circumstances where the victim made insulting remarks as claimed, the act of murder cannot be justified," adding, "Considering the significant suffering of the victim and the victim's family’s plea for severe punishment."
Meanwhile, the Korean Women's Hotline analyzed in its '2023 Anger Gauge Report' that at least one woman was killed or placed at risk of being killed by a husband, boyfriend, or other intimate male partner every 19 hours last year. During the past year, at least 138 women were killed by men in intimate relationships such as husbands or dating partners, and at least 311 women survived attempted murders and other violent acts.
Additionally, 119 people surrounding the victims, including their children, parents, and friends, were also harmed by the same crimes last year. Among these acquaintances, 54 were killed and 65 survived attempted murders. Including these surrounding victims, the total number of victims killed or at risk of being killed by intimate male partners was at least 568 last year, indicating that at least one person was victimized every 15 hours when including harm to acquaintances.
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