70-Year-Old Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Brutally Killing Wife Who Said "Let's Divorce"

Jeonju District Court Gunsan Branch Sentences 20 Years Imprisonment
Suspicion of Affair with Wife Devoted to Religious Activities

A man in his 70s who brutally murdered his wife after she demanded a divorce was sentenced to a heavy prison term.

On the 8th, Yonhap News reported that the 1st Criminal Division of Gunsan Branch of Jeonju District Court (Chief Judge Jeong Seong-min) sentenced Mr. A (74), who was indicted on charges of murder, to 20 years in prison. Mr. A was brought to trial for allegedly killing his wife, Mrs. B, with a sharp weapon and a blunt instrument at their home in Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do, around 8:24 a.m. on February 22.

Jeonju District Court Gunsan Branch / Photo by Yonhap News

At the time, when Mrs. B, who was preparing breakfast, said, "I can't live with you anymore. Let's get a divorce," Mr. A immediately took a sharp weapon from the sink and swung it. When Mrs. B saw this and ran outside the house, he chased her, knocked her down, and persistently attacked her face. He also picked up bricks and a blunt instrument from the yard and continued to inflict one-sided violence on his wife, who was unable to resist. Even after Mrs. B lost consciousness and was unable to move, Mr. A did not stop the assault, resulting in Mrs. B sustaining fatal injuries to her head, face, and neck, and dying on the spot.

Investigations revealed that Mr. A had suspected his wife’s infidelity for several years due to her frequent external interactions through religious activities. After being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2022, his delusional jealousy worsened, and when Mrs. B demanded a divorce, he became enraged and committed this crime.

The first trial court criticized Mr. A, stating, "The defendant committed the crime in a very brutal manner, attacking with a sharp weapon even after the victim was completely unable to move." It added, "The victim, who lived as the defendant’s spouse for 20 years, likely endured indescribable pain and extreme fear before losing her life." Regarding the sentencing, the court explained, "Considering the method of the crime and the level of harm to the victim, it is appropriate to impose severe responsibility. However, the sentence was determined taking into account that the defendant admitted to the crime and has no prior record of punishment above a fine."

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