Severe Sentence for Man Who Murdered Ex-Partner and Attempted Suicide

A man in his 40s has received a lengthy prison sentence for the murder of his former partner, with the Seoul High Court upholding a 25-year sentence in a recent ruling. The court also mandated three years of probation following his release.

The defendant, referred to as A, was convicted of fatally stabbing a woman, identified as B, in a parked car in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, on August 14 of last year. After the attack, A attempted to take his own life but was stopped by police who responded to the scene and arrested him.

A and B had previously been in a romantic relationship and co-owned a restaurant, but they faced financial difficulties that led to the closure of their business. Investigations revealed that A harbored resentment towards B, believing she had embezzled funds and failed to properly settle their financial accounts, which resulted in him becoming a credit defaulter.

The first trial judge noted that A had fallen into a delusion, blaming B for the failure of their business, which was affected by capital shortages and changing market conditions. The judge emphasized that A had planned the murder while monitoring B's movements, indicating a serious nature of the crime.

Both the prosecution and A appealed the verdict, but the appellate court maintained the original sentence. A's defense argued that the crime was committed in a moment of passion, but the court rejected this claim, stating that A had premeditated the murder. The court concluded that there were no substantial changes in the circumstances that would warrant a different sentence. A has since filed for a further appeal.