Prosecutors Seek 2-Year Prison Term for Murderer’s Father Over Defamatory Comments About Japanese Sword Murder Victim

Prosecutors have requested a two-year prison sentence for the father of the perpetrator in the Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul Japanese sword murder case, who was put on trial for posting defamatory comments about the victim online.

Seoul Western District Court building. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 16th, during the final hearing for Baek (68), presided over by Judge Kim Minjeong of the Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 9, prosecutors stated, "He committed secondary harm by posting false comments justifying the murder in response to public criticism of his son."

According to prosecutors, Baek is accused of posting 23 supportive comments about his son, who was on trial for murder, between August and September last year, thereby defaming the victim.

Baek is reported to have written comments to the effect that "the victim was actually a Chinese spy who intended to start a war on the Korean Peninsula, so his son's actions were justified."

On this day, Baek's attorney requested an acquittal, stating, "He was saddened by society's one-sided criticism of his son's crime and hoped that people would understand the circumstances."

The verdict for Baek is scheduled to be delivered at 10 a.m. on July 23.

Meanwhile, Baek's son (37), who was indicted for killing the victim with a 102 cm Japanese sword in an apartment in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul on July 29 last year, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial on February 1. Both the prosecution and Baek's son have filed appeals against the verdict.

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