A man in his 70s who killed his wife with a knife he had prepared in advance, yet denied the crime was premeditated, had his 18-year prison sentence upheld on appeal.
Seoul High Court's Criminal Division 11-1, presided over by judges Kim Tae-ho, Park Seon-young and Kang Hyo-won, sentenced the defendant, identified only as A, 75, to 18 years in prison on murder charges — the same term handed down at trial.
In his appeal, A argued that he had brought the knife as a "symbol of severing the marital relationship," not as a weapon. He also contended that because he could have prepared a more lethal instrument to ensure death but chose not to, the knife should not be considered a murder weapon.
The court rejected both arguments. "It is difficult to readily accept the explanation that the knife was brought as a symbol of the marital relationship," the court said, adding that the remaining claims were equally untenable given that the weapon he had prepared in advance was clearly used to carry out the killing.
A was indicted on charges of traveling to his child's home in September last year and killing his spouse, B, with a knife he had brought with him.
The court upheld the lower court's sentencing, finding it within a reasonable range of discretion. It noted that A had killed the victim — someone deeply cherished by his child and the child's family — inside their home and without apparent remorse, while continuing to shift blame for the crime onto the victim.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
