Attacked Daughter-in-law After Being Cut Off by Son
A man in his 70s who attempted to murder his daughter-in-law with a weapon after visiting the home of his son and daughter-in-law, with whom he had a long-standing conflict, has been sentenced to prison.
According to Yonhap News on December 28, citing legal sources, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 6-1 (Judges Jeong Jaeo, Choi Eunjeong, and Lee Yesul) sentenced Mr. A to three years in prison on November 19, upholding the original ruling for attempted murder.
Mr. A was accused of stabbing his daughter-in-law seven times with a weapon after visiting his son's home in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the morning of January 10.
Mr. A reportedly entered the home without warning and confronted his son, asking, "Why did you block me?" When his son refused to talk and left the house, Mr. A went to the master bedroom and attacked his daughter-in-law, saying, "Since you married into the family, the relationship between father and son has been severed."
He was subdued by his grandson, who rushed in after hearing the victim's screams. During the trial, Mr. A claimed, "I only brushed her lightly with the knife to scare her," insisting he had no intention to kill.
However, the first trial court stated, "Considering the method of the crime and the weapon used, it is determined that Mr. Yoon recognized that his actions could result in the victim's death and proceeded with the crime. It is difficult to accept the defendant's stated motive, as there is no reason for the victim to be solely responsible for the breakdown between Mr. A and his son or to apologize for her husband's faults. It appears to be an act of one-sided venting against the victim."
Nevertheless, the court noted, "Mr. A acknowledges the facts of the case, and it appears that the crime was committed impulsively after an intense argument with his son," sentencing him to three years in prison.
Mr. A, who had worked in the freight transportation business, had supported his son since he entered Seoul National University in 1992, spending more than half his salary on tuition and living expenses and providing tens of millions of won for wedding expenses. However, conflicts accumulated after his son got married.
Mr. A felt dissatisfied that his son never expressed gratitude, nor did he offer gifts or meals during holidays, and in 2021, he eventually cut off contact with his son. At that time, Mr. A reportedly felt extreme anger when there was no contact from his son and daughter-in-law even after the New Year, and he could not reach them by phone, which led to the crime.
Regarding this, the court stated, "The defendant committed the crime after harboring a distorted and biased perception for decades that he was not being repaid despite raising and financially supporting his son. It is unrealistic to expect that such perceptions and thinking will change now that he is over 80 years old."
The appellate court dismissed the appeals of both the defendant and the prosecutor, maintaining the original sentence. The appellate court explained, "Although the victim did not die and did not suffer any physical disability, the victim did not provoke the murder attempt, nor did the defendant voluntarily stop the crime," concluding that a prison sentence was inevitable.
As neither Mr. A nor the prosecutor appealed further, the verdict was finalized last month.
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