Man in His 20s Attempts 'Back Choke' After Blind Date Woman Rejects Physical Contact

Attempted Murder by Strangulation
Court Upholds Seven-Year Prison Sentence on Appeal

A man in his 20s who attempted to murder a woman after being rejected when he tried to initiate physical contact during a blind date has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term on appeal.

According to Yonhap News Agency, on May 17, the Criminal Division 1 of the Incheon Branch of the Seoul High Court (Chief Judge Jung Seungkyu) sentenced Mr. A (29), who was indicted on charges of attempted murder, to seven years in prison, the same sentence as in the first trial.

Choke is one of the very dangerous martial arts techniques that incapacitate an opponent by strangling their neck. The photo shows a choke technique being used during a mixed martial arts UFC match held in New Jersey, USA, on June 2, 2024. Photo by AP

Mr. A was charged with attempting to kill Ms. B (27), whom he had met through a friend, by strangling her neck in a so-called "back choke" position on a street in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, at around 4 a.m. on December 5 of last year. Investigations revealed that Mr. A had transferred 30,000 won to Ms. B for taxi fare, asked her to come to a bar, and then attempted to initiate physical contact while drinking together.

When Ms. B refused his advances and tried to leave, Mr. A demanded that she return the taxi fare if she was not going to drink further. When the victim responded, "This is stalking," he strangled her. When Ms. B said she would return the taxi fare, he released his grip, but upon seeing her attempt to call 112, he took her phone and tried to strangle her again in an attempt to kill her.

Mr. A reportedly told investigators that he thought he might be punished for a sex crime because of his attempt at physical contact, and that he felt it would be better to be punished for murder than to be forced to wear an electronic ankle bracelet.

The appellate court also noted the physical disparity between Mr. A and Ms. B, emphasizing the dangerous nature of the situation. The court explained, "The defendant is 194 cm tall and weighs 93 kg, making him physically large, while the victim is relatively small, which made the method of the crime extremely dangerous. The defendant only stopped the assault when police arrived, and at that time, the victim had lost consciousness."

Afterward, Ms. B found it difficult to return to her daily life. The court stated, "The victim was hospitalized for 19 days due to this incident and has continued to receive outpatient treatment, suffering both physical and psychological pain. She resigned from her job because of the crime and continues to face significant financial hardship due to ongoing medical expenses."

Meanwhile, ahead of the ninth anniversary of the Gangnam Station murder case, 85 women's organizations pointed out, "Even after the Gangnam Station incident, violent crimes targeting women have continued to occur, such as the Sindang Station stalking murder case and the Busan kick attack case. Violence against women is also ongoing online, as seen in the Nth Room case and deepfake sex crimes."