A South Korean court has sentenced a man to 25 years in prison for murdering his wife for refusing sex after a miscarriage.
The Seoul Southern District Court delivered the ruling on Thursday against the defendant, identified by his surname Seo, who was convicted of strangling his wife at their home in Gangseo District, western Seoul, on 13 March.
Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment along with supervised probation, but the court opted for a fixed term and dismissed the probation request, reported the Korea JoongAng Daily.
Judges said the killing took place while the victim was incapacitated by alcohol and sleeping pills, making her unable to resist.
“She was murdered by the very person who had promised to share a lifetime together – in her own home, where she should have felt safest,” the court said in its verdict, reported the outlet.
The panel added that Seo’s repeated efforts to downplay his responsibility during the investigation had intensified the pain of the victim’s family, who had petitioned for the harshest possible sentence.
The woman, who had become pregnant soon after the marriage, suffered a miscarriage in August 2024. She later underwent surgery for an ectopic pregnancy, leaving her physically weak and recovering in hospital.
Prosecutors said that despite her condition, Seo repeatedly demanded sex and grew violent when she refused. His anger escalated in January after she told him she intended to seek a divorce and he discovered messages she had sent to friends expressing regret about the marriage.
According to investigators, he attempted to disguise the crime by changing her phone password and deleting a home camera application. He then called the police, claiming he had found her unresponsive, and went on to arrange the funeral, even taking on the role of chief mourner.
He was arrested at the funeral home the next day after medical evidence revealed marks on his wife’s neck.
For several hours during questioning, he denied involvement, but later confessed when confronted with autopsy results that showed both sleeping pills and alcohol in her system. He claimed the killing had been an impulsive act carried out while drunk.
Presiding judge Jang Chan condemned Seo’s behaviour after the killing. “He calmly pretended to grieve before being arrested at the funeral, and continued to deny responsibility until confronted with evidence, showing a calculating and inhumane attitude,” he said according to the Korea Times.
The court rejected his claim that the death had occurred accidentally during an argument, citing medical findings that confirmed his wife had been incapacitated at the time.
“The terror and betrayal the victim felt in her final moments are beyond measure,” the ruling stated. “Her family cannot forgive the defendant and has pleaded for severe punishment. Murder is the ultimate violation of human life, and stern punishment is unavoidable.”
At the final hearing on 11 September, prosecutors argued that the killing was motivated by “reasons that no reasonable person could possibly accept” and demanded life imprisonment. Members of the victim’s family reportedly responded with tears and applause when the request was made.
In its ruling, the court emphasised that while the penalty fell short of the life term sought by prosecutors, it reflected the severity of the crime, the absence of forgiveness from the victim’s relatives, and the defendant’s attempts to escape responsibility.
Prosecutors said his behaviour after the killing – including lying to relatives and acting as the chief mourner – underscored his lack of remorse.
The court concluded: “The fear and pain the victim must have felt are unimaginable, and the defendant’s attempts to minimise and conceal his crime only deepened the family’s suffering.”
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