'Why Are You Like This, Family?'... Violence and Murder, the Brutal History of Violent Crimes During Holidays

[Image source = Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Amid tragedies caused by family members ranging from violence during the Chuseok holiday to self-harm and murder occurring in various places, it has been revealed that violent crimes and cyber fraud have surged during the Chuseok holiday period over the past three years. In particular, violence accounted for 77.3% of all violent crimes detected during the entire Chuseok period.

On Chuseok day, the 1st, a woman in her 60s and her son in his 40s were found dead in Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi Province. It is known that they frequently quarreled due to financial reasons, and the police decided to perform an autopsy on the bodies, considering the possibility that the son, who had come to visit his mother living alone for Chuseok, committed the crime and then took extreme measures.

On the same day in Incheon, a man in his 60s was found collapsed after assaulting his wife at a karaoke room, complaining about the small amount of pocket money. The wife, who reported the incident, told the police, "My husband, who was drunk, assaulted me because the pocket money was insufficient, then locked the karaoke room's front door and did not come out, so I called the police." A bag containing drugs was found inside the karaoke room. It is presumed that the man in his 60s overdosed on the drugs and was immediately transported to a nearby hospital. Fortunately, it is reported that his life is not in danger. The possibility of an extreme act is also being investigated.

On the 30th of last month, in Suncheon, Jeollanam-do, a man in his 70s swung a blunt weapon at his wife after a marital dispute, and in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do, a man in his 60s killed his brother-in-law.

According to the Suncheon Police Station, Mr. A (77) repeatedly struck his wife, Mrs. B (71), on the head with a tool at their apartment home in Suncheon City around 8:42 p.m. the previous day. After the crime, Mr. A stabbed his own neck with another sharp object and reported to the police.

The police confirmed that both Mr. A and his wife sustained serious injuries and immediately transported them to the hospital. It is reported that their lives are not in danger. It is known that Mr. A committed the crime after an argument with Mrs. B, and the police are investigating the exact circumstances of the incident.

According to the Asan Police Station on the 30th, Mr. C, a man in his late 60s, stabbed his brother-in-law to death with a weapon at an apartment in Inju-myeon, Asan City, around 12:17 p.m. on the same day.

Mr. C's sister, who was with them in the apartment, was also stabbed and urgently transported to a hospital in Daejeon. She is receiving treatment and is reported to be out of danger.

The sister, who lives in another region, is said to have visited Mr. C ahead of Chuseok. Mr. C, his sister, and brother-in-law were reportedly drinking together at the time of the incident. The police responded to a report of a "severe argument" and arrested Mr. C on the spot.

[Image source = Office of Assemblyman Kim Young-bae]

As crimes during the Chuseok holiday continue every year, it has been revealed that violent crimes such as assault and theft have steadily increased over the past three years.

According to data submitted by Kim Young-bae, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, to the National Police Agency on the 2nd, from 2015 onwards, the total number of 112 emergency calls during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays reached 2,736,447, with an average of 49,116 calls per day.

[Image source = Office of Assemblyman Kim Young-bae]

According to data on 'Crimes occurring during the Chuseok holiday period' submitted by the National Police Agency to Representative Kim on the 1st, the top type of reported crime during the Chuseok holiday in 2019 was violence, followed by internet fraud, theft, and robbery.

Violent crimes during the Chuseok holiday period have shown a steady increase over the past three years. In particular, violence accounted for 77.3% of all violent crimes detected during the entire Chuseok period.

Representative Kim said, "Over the past three years, internet fraud and violent crimes have surged during the Chuseok holiday period," and added, "I ask the frontline police officers, district police stations, and patrol officers who work hard during the holidays to do their best to protect public safety according to the types of crimes."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.