A man in his 40s who killed his downstairs neighbor due to noise complaints in a villa in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
The 11th Criminal Division of the Uijeongbu District Court, led by Director General Oh Chang-seop, sentenced the man, identified as A, who was arrested and indicted on murder charges, to 20 years in prison on the 21st.
A was arrested and indicted for allegedly killing a man in his 50s, identified as B, with a weapon around 1:15 p.m. on Feb. 9 in a villa on the 5th floor of a building in Bakseok-eup, Yangju City. A claimed to the police, "I went to complain about the noise from downstairs and, in a fit of anger, committed the act."
However, at the time, police stated that noise complaints could be transmitted beyond connected households and that it could not be confirmed whether the noise was the direct cause of the crime, considering B had just returned home before the incident.
During the trial, the defendant's side stated, "I have never taken psychiatric medication separately; my family suggested a mental evaluation, but I later refused it because I thought having a mental illness record might affect my job prospects," and claimed diminished responsibility.
The court explained the sentencing reason, stating, "The victim did not actually cause noise, yet the defendant fell into a delusion that he was being harmed by the victim; the victim lost a precious life, and the bereaved family is suffering from severe mental shock and is pleading for severe punishment."
However, the court accepted the defendant's claim of diminished responsibility, stating, "Considering the assessments from professional institutions, family testimonies, and the contents of the letters of reflection, it corresponds to a delusional disorder and is judged as diminished responsibility."