60-Year-Old Sentenced to 20 Years for Killing Wife Over Financial Dispute

A man was sentenced to prison for strangling his spouse to death following an argument over money.

According to the legal community on the 24th, the 13th Criminal Division of the Seoul Northern District Court (Chief Judge Lee Tae-woong) sentenced Kim, a man in his 60s, to 20 years in prison on charges of murder. The court explained the sentencing by stating, "Considering the circumstances where Kim attempted self-harm immediately after the incident and contacted his children to report him, it is difficult to view the crime as committed under diminished mental capacity. Taking into account the children’s plea for severe punishment, an appropriate sentence was determined."

Kim was brought to trial on charges of strangling his spouse to death after an argument over money at their home in Jangan-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, on May 2. During the crime, Kim attempted self-harm by saying "Let's die together," and after the victim died, he tried to commit suicide. However, he was transported to the hospital by police who responded to a report from his son.

Kim’s defense argued that the crime was committed impulsively under diminished mental capacity, citing that he had been receiving psychiatric treatment for anxiety and depression since January, but the court did not accept this claim.

During the prosecution’s investigation, Kim stated that he felt he was never recognized or respected as a husband throughout the marriage. It was also reported that he had been violent at the beauty salon run by his wife.

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