Dependent on Wife's Care After Retirement, Then Committed the Crime
Court: "The crime was brutal... Left deep scars on the bereaved family"
A former Seoul National University professor who killed his wife with a weapon after she confided that she was struggling to care for him has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term in the first trial.
On September 1, the Criminal Agreement Division 36 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jungyeop) sentenced Mr. A, a former Seoul National University professor who was indicted and detained on charges of murder, to 25 years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Mr. A was accused of repeatedly stabbing and killing his wife, Ms. B, at their home in January after she, while caring for him, said, "It's hard not being able to go outside. I'd rather die than live like this. From now on, live on your own." Prosecutors explained that Mr. A interpreted his wife's words as an intention to abandon him, which led to the crime.
Investigations revealed that Mr. A retired from his position as a professor at Seoul National University and then retired last year from another institution where he had worked afterward. Since then, his health had deteriorated due to insomnia and other issues, and he had been receiving care from his wife. Immediately after the crime, it was found that he called his younger sibling to ask for help handling the aftermath. It was also reported that he spoke to his son on the phone without revealing what had happened.
During the trial, Mr. A claimed that he was in a state of diminished mental capacity at the time of the crime, but the court did not accept this argument. The bench stated, "We considered that he gave relatively clear statements to investigative authorities regarding the circumstances and means of the crime and the aftermath, and that clinical psychological evaluations indicated a low possibility of mental breakdown."
The court also pointed out, based on the autopsy results and testimony from neighbors, that "the crime was extremely brutal, as it appears the victim resisted and died in severe pain." The court added, "This incident has left irreparable psychological trauma for the surviving family, including the children, and it will be especially difficult for the children to return to a peaceful daily life."
However, regarding the prosecution's request for an electronic monitoring anklet and an order for probation, the court dismissed it, stating, "He has no prior criminal record, does not meet the criteria for a psychopathy diagnosis, and as this was a special case involving his spouse, the risk of reoffending is considered low."
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