"If It's Not Mine, I Must Die"... Kim Rea, Who Killed Girlfriend, Was Recorded Speaking During the Crime

Kim Rea Accused of Murder and Attempted Murder
Victim's Mother: "Everything Kim Rea Said Is a Lie"

At the second trial of Kim Rea (26), who was detained and prosecuted on charges of murdering his girlfriend with a weapon for notifying her of their breakup, the victim's mother testified about the situation on the day of the crime.

On the 25th, during the second trial for murder and attempted murder of Kim Rea held at the Suwon District Court Criminal Division 14 (Presiding Judge Ko Kwonhong), the victim A (21 at the time of death)’s mother, B (46), appeared as a witness and explained how Kim Rea wielded a weapon against her daughter and herself.

B stated that on March 24, the day before the incident, she discovered bruises on her daughter’s body and finger marks on her neck, realizing that her daughter was a victim of dating violence and was being threatened with photos of her body being taken. The next morning, B went with A to the officetel where Kim Rea lived to collect A’s belongings. She waited for him at home holding a confirmation letter stating that he would not distribute the photos.

B testified, "Kim Rea told us to sit inside the room, so we sat down. When I asked, ‘What happened to the bruises and wounds on my daughter’s body?’ he suddenly sighed, stood up, grabbed a knife from the kitchen sink, and stabbed me and my daughter first." She added, "When I tried to call the police, he kicked my phone away." She continued, "I tried to stop Kim Rea from following my daughter to save her, but he stabbed my back and shoulder several times, and I lost consciousness." She added, "When I opened my eyes, Kim Rea was chasing after my daughter who had run away. I then called 112 (emergency number)."

Kim Rea, charged with the murder of her girlfriend.
[Image provided by Suwon District Prosecutors' Office]

B said, "When my daughter tried to go outside, Kim Rea grabbed her head and said, ‘If you’re not mine, you must die.’ I remember everything he said." During her testimony about the day of the crime, B trembled for a while and could not stop crying.

In court, an audio recording of the situation at the time was also played. B told the court, "Kim Rea thought I was dead and said that my daughter and he were just sitting still, but he alone barged in (which caused the incident) and gave false testimony to the investigative authorities. I want to say that everything Kim Rea says is a lie from start to finish."

Kim Rea was charged with murder and attempted murder for wielding a weapon against A and B at his residence in Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, at around 9:35 a.m. on March 25 this year, killing A and causing B serious injuries requiring at least 10 weeks of treatment. Investigations revealed that Kim Rea committed the crime when A tried to notify him of their breakup in protest against his ongoing violent behavior.

He had shown strong obsession toward his girlfriend, often saying things like, "If I break up with A, I will kill A and then myself." He also displayed violent tendencies, such as throwing a phone to break it or hitting A’s arm with his fist during arguments, causing bruises. When A could not end the relationship with Kim Rea on her own, she went to see him with her mother and was attacked.

Meanwhile, in April this year, the prosecution held a personal information disclosure review committee and decided to release Kim Rea’s name, age, and mugshot considering the severity and brutality of the crime. This is the first case in South Korea since the enactment of the Specific Serious Crime Personal Information Disclosure Act in January this year that the prosecution has released a mugshot. However, Kim Rea claims diminished mental capacity. The court decided to schedule a future trial date for a psychiatric evaluation of Kim Rea. The next trial will include defendant questioning and other proceedings.

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