Driven by Financial Hardship, Man in His 40s Sentenced to Life for Killing Family

Tragedy Unfolds as Car Plunges into the Sea at Paengmok Port in Jindo
Court: "A Grave Crime That Cannot Be Justified"

A man in his 40s who killed his wife and two sons due to financial hardship has been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Ji Mo (49), who was arrested on charges of killing his wife and two sons due to financial hardship, appeared at the pre-arrest suspect hearing (warrant review) held at Gwangju District Court on the morning of June 4. Photo by Yonhap News

On September 19, the 12th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Park Jaesung, sentenced Ji Mo (49), who was indicted on charges of murder and aiding suicide, to life imprisonment. Ji was charged with driving his car into the sea at Jindo Port (Paengmok Port) in Imhoe-myeon, Jindo-gun, South Jeolla Province, with his wife and two high school-aged sons inside, in the early morning hours of June 1, resulting in their deaths.

He gave his family sleeping pills out of despair over financial difficulties before committing the crime, then escaped through the car window and survived. Afterwards, he called an acquaintance, got a ride to Gwangju, and was apprehended approximately 44 hours after the crime. During his escape, he did not seek help from police or emergency services.

Ji, who worked as a rebar worker at construction sites, stated that he was burdened with 200 million won in credit card debt and about 30 million won in unpaid daily wages. In contrast, investigations revealed that his two sons had been excitedly making travel plans with their parents.

The court stated, "The victimized sons likely never imagined that the parents they loved most would take their lives, even in their final moments," adding, "This is a grave crime that cannot be justified for any reason."

During sentencing, the presiding judge was moved to tears and choked up, unable to continue reading at one point, saying, "The details of this heartless crime and the sight of the two sons' bodies being recovered from the sea were truly horrific." The petition for leniency submitted by Ji's side in an earlier hearing was harshly criticized by the court.