'Husband Found Not Guilty of Killing Pregnant Wife Wins Lawsuit Over 200 Million Won Insurance Claim'

A husband who was acquitted in a criminal trial on charges of killing his pregnant wife in a traffic accident won again in a lawsuit against an insurance company.

Seoul Central District Court, Seocho-dong, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

On the 25th, the 27-2 Civil Division of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judges Ji Young-nan, Park Yeon-wook, Lee Seung-ryeon) overturned the first trial and ruled in favor of the plaintiff in a 200 million won insurance claim lawsuit filed by Mr. Lee (53) and his children against LINA Life Insurance. The first trial court ruled against the plaintiff, but the second trial mostly accepted Mr. Lee's claim.

Earlier, on August 23, 2014, Mr. Lee was driving a van when he collided with a truck parked on the shoulder. His wife, who was seven months pregnant at the time (24 years old), died. The prosecution charged Mr. Lee with murder and insurance fraud, citing that he had subscribed to 25 insurance policies from 2008 to 2014 with his wife as the insured and himself as the beneficiary.

However, the court acquitted him of murder and fraud charges, stating that "the motive for the crime is not clear," and only recognized guilt under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling for causing death, sentencing him to two years in prison. The total insurance amount Mr. Lee subscribed to is reported to be 9.5 billion won in principal alone, exceeding 10 billion won including delayed interest. After his acquittal on the murder charge was finalized, Mr. Lee filed civil lawsuits against multiple insurance companies and has been winning consecutively. It is reported that the insurance money recognized through trials by Mr. Lee has already reached 9 billion won.

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