A man in his 50s who was indicted for murdering a woman with whom he was in a common-law relationship has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.
On November 27, the 1st Criminal Division of the Changwon District Court Tongyeong Branch, presided over by Chief Judge Kim Youngseok, sentenced Mr. A, a man in his 50s who stood trial on charges of murder, to 23 years in prison and ordered five years of probation.
Mr. A was accused of fatally stabbing Ms. B, a woman in her 50s working as a caddie at a golf course in Geoje-myeon, Geoje City, multiple times with a weapon on September 5.
According to the prosecution, the two had maintained a common-law relationship for about 16 years, from 2009 until July of this year.
After the travel agency run by Mr. A struggled due to the impact of COVID-19 and other factors, he received financial support, including living expenses, from Ms. B.
Subsequently, Mr. A made unreasonable financial demands and asked Ms. B to run errands for alcohol. When Ms. B refused, he reportedly subjected her to verbal abuse and threats.
As a result, Ms. B ended her relationship with Mr. A in July and cut off financial support.
During this process, Mr. A discovered that Ms. B had transferred money to her ex-husband and others. It was determined that he became obsessed with the idea that Ms. B had abandoned him and was trying to rebuild a family with her ex-husband and children.
Ultimately, Mr. A disguised himself as a worker to enter Ms. B’s workplace, the golf course, where she was avoiding his contact, and committed the crime.
During the trial, Mr. A claimed the crime was impulsive, but the prosecution countered, "He continues to justify his actions by blaming Ms. B, and although he stated that he committed the crime because of her relationship with her ex-husband, this is nothing more than the defendant's delusion."
The prosecution sought a life sentence for Mr. A.
The court stated, "Without just cause, he brutally took the life of the victim, with whom he had been in a common-law relationship for about 16 years, in a premeditated manner," adding, "The victim’s family has pleaded for severe punishment, saying that their ordinary and stable lives were shattered in an instant."
However, the court explained its sentencing decision by noting, "We took into account that he has acknowledged his wrongdoing and is remorseful, and that he has no prior convictions for violent crimes beyond fines."
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