'Suspicion of Affair'... 15 Years in Prison for Man in 40s Who Killed Wife's Lover

Confirmed Affair via Black Box Footage Before the Crime
"Bereaved Family Demands Severe Punishment... Strict Sentencing Unavoidable"

A man in his 40s who killed another man with a weapon due to suspicions of an extramarital affair with his spouse has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

The Criminal Division 13 of the Gwangju District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jeongho) sentenced Mr. A (41), who was indicted and detained on charges of murder, to 15 years in prison on April 22.

Front view of Gwangju District Court.

Mr. A was put on trial for wielding a weapon and killing Mr. B (in his 30s), who had maintained an inappropriate relationship with A’s wife, in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Gwangsan District, Gwangju, at around 8:39 a.m. on October 19 last year.

According to the investigation, Mr. A confirmed his wife's affair through footage from his car's black box and, while demanding a divorce, ended up speaking with Mr. B over the phone. During this exchange, Mr. B not only failed to apologize but provoked Mr. A by saying, "Do you think you're the only victim? Let's meet today," which enraged Mr. A and led him to commit the crime.

During the trial, Mr. A's defense argued that the crime was committed impulsively out of anger at Mr. B’s mocking attitude. However, the court did not accept this argument, determining that the murder was planned within a short period, as Mr. A had prepared a weapon in advance and waited for Mr. B on his way home.

The court stated, "Even if there are circumstances that might be considered mitigating, the act of taking a precious life can never be justified," and added, "Given that the bereaved family is petitioning for a severe punishment, a heavy sentence is unavoidable."

However, the court also explained its sentencing decision by noting, "The sentence reflects a comprehensive consideration of the fact that Mr. A voluntarily reported the crime to emergency services and the police immediately afterwards, had no prior criminal record and was dedicated to his family life, and that his spouse is requesting leniency."

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