'Noona→Agassi' App Translation Error... The Full Story of Jeongeup Brutal Murder

Misinterpretation of 'Noona' as 'Agassi' Sparks Outrage: "Why Are You Looking for Agassi?"

The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Nayeon] A murder case that occurred in a parking lot in Jeongeup, Jeonbuk, was revealed to have been triggered by an error in a mobile phone translation app. A Chinese person and a Korean used a translator to communicate, but a mistranslation escalated into a stabbing.

According to the legal community on the 30th, a Chinese man A (35) grew close to and developed feelings for a female colleague of the same nationality, B, who was married, in May last year. Later, B introduced her husband C to A, and the three’s relationship developed enough to share drinking occasions together.

On September 6 of the same year, around 10 p.m., the three drank at a pub in Jeongeup with two Chinese acquaintances. The only Korean, husband C, used a mobile app translator to communicate with the Chinese.

During this, A said in Chinese, “Let’s hang out with nuna (B) next time,” but the app mistranslated it into Korean as “Let’s hang out with the agassi next time.”

Hearing the mistranslation, husband C misunderstood it as referring to a karaoke hostess and said to A, “Why are you looking for an agassi? I have a wife,” and insulted him. Enraged by the insult, A stormed out and, in the process, punched C in the face.

A was furious with the shame and humiliation of being assaulted in front of B, whom he had feelings for. He bought a weapon at a nearby mart and a few hours later called C, who was returning home alone, to the parking lot.

When C did not apologize, A stabbed C’s neck and abdomen with the weapon and continued the attack while chasing the fleeing C. Eventually, C died, and A went to a nearby police station and surrendered.

A, charged with murder, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The Jeongeup Branch of Jeonju District Court’s 1st Criminal Division pointed out, “The defendant killed the victim in a very brutal way, stabbing the victim’s body 13 times with a weapon. The victim appears to have died after experiencing extreme pain, and the bereaved family is pleading for severe punishment while expressing shock and suffering.”

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