Woman in Her 50s Sentenced to 35 Years for Murdering Restaurant Owner in Her 60s Over Love Affair

Sentenced to 35 Years for Brutally Killing Her Lover's Common-Law Wife
Court Cites Premeditation and Extreme Brutality
No Mitigating Circumstances Recognized Despite Plea

A woman in her 50s has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for brutally murdering a woman in her 60s with whom she had a conflict over a love affair.

On August 30, Yonhap News reported that the Criminal Division 1 of the Goyang Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Heesu, delivered this verdict against Ms. A, a woman in her 50s who was indicted and detained on charges of murder and destruction of a corpse. The court also ordered Ms. A to wear an electronic location tracking device for 10 years.

Ms. A was charged with stabbing and killing Ms. B, a woman in her 60s who owned a Chinese restaurant, at around 6 p.m. on February 21 in Deogyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. It was determined that Ms. A was in an extramarital relationship with Mr. C, Ms. B's common-law husband.

Uijeongbu Court Goyang Branch. Yonhap News

Ms. A reportedly visited the restaurant operated by Ms. B, engaged in an argument, and then committed the crime. Immediately after the incident, Ms. B was found dead in a room inside the restaurant with severe injuries to her neck and other areas, while Ms. A was also found collapsed in a drugged state with injuries to her hand and other parts. Initially, the police considered the possibility that a third party had committed the crime against both Ms. A and Ms. B and then fled, so they reviewed nearby closed-circuit television footage. However, no evidence was found of any outsider entering or leaving the scene. Ultimately, Ms. A, identified as the prime suspect, confessed to killing Ms. B after receiving medical treatment. It was also reported that Ms. A had intended to kill Mr. C after murdering Ms. B.

During the trial, Ms. A's defense argued diminished responsibility, claiming she was intoxicated at the time of the crime and had been taking psychiatric medication. However, the court rejected this claim, stating that the crime was premeditated and that Ms. A had no prior psychiatric disorders that would have impaired her ability to distinguish right from wrong.

The court stated, "The defendant committed the crime in a premeditated manner, having hidden a knife and an axe purchased in advance, and killed the victim. The method of the crime was extremely brutal, as she inflicted fatal injuries by stabbing the victim dozens of times in the head and other areas." The court continued, "The bereaved family, including the victim's common-law husband, is suffering severe psychological pain after suddenly losing a loved one for an incomprehensible reason at the hands of his extramarital partner, the defendant. Nevertheless, the defendant has taken no action to remedy the harm caused." Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "Given the dangerousness, brutality, and blameworthiness of the crime, as well as the extent of the harm, it is necessary to isolate the defendant from society for a long period through a heavy sentence."