The prosecution has sought a life sentence for a man in his 40s who killed his wife and two sons by crashing their vehicle into the sea after they had taken sleeping pills together, and who did not report the incident.
The 12th Criminal Division of the Gwangju District Court (presiding Judge Park Jae-sung) concluded the trial proceedings for JI (49) on charges of murder and others on the 22nd.
The prosecutor sought a life sentence for Mr. Ji. He is accused of driving his vehicle into the sea around 1:12 a.m. on June 1, in Jin Do, South Jeolla Province, causing the deaths of his wife and two teenage sons who were high school students.
Mr. Ji, who was struggling with debts amounting to 200 million won and economic difficulties, resolved to commit suicide with his wife. Investigators found he decided to kill his children as well, anticipating they would face a hard life without their parents.
On May 31, the evening of the second day of a family trip, Mr. Ji, after preparing sleeping pills and fatigue recovery medications with his wife, made their children drink the fatigue recovery drink mixed with sleeping pills. They moved to the area near Paengmok Port in Jin Do in the early hours of June 1 and drove into the sea while taking sleeping pills together.
Feeling a momentary sense of fear, Mr. Ji escaped through the open driver's side window.
In the meantime, his two children and wife all drowned in the sea. After coming ashore, Mr. Ji left the scene without attempting any rescue efforts and used a friend's vehicle to travel to Gwangju, where he was apprehended by the police.
Mr. Ji submitted letters of appeal and requests for leniency from acquaintances to the court.
Judge Park Jae-sung pointed out, "The defendant said he would live and escaped the sea alone. Shouldn't he have at least called 119 to try to save his family if he wasn't capable of doing anything else?" and asked, "Is he asking for leniency while he remains intact?"
The prosecutor noted, "The two sons, who are victims, tried to create happy memories after finishing school and while on a family trip by searching for good restaurants," and added, "They drank the beverage laced with sleeping pills without any suspicion and fell asleep."
Regarding the timing of when the sleeping pills were mixed into the drinks, he lamented, "The two sons were eating ramen on the first floor while their father and mother were on the second floor mixing sleeping pills into the beverages. The children would not have had an inkling that their parents were preparing to kill them."
Mr. Ji stated in his final remarks, "I am sorry to the children. It ended up like this due to my wrong thoughts."
Mr. Ji's legal representative stated, "This occurred due to misunderstandings related to unpaid wages investigated by the Labor Office and the family's harmful perceptions. We ask for leniency."
The court will hold a sentencing hearing for Mr. Ji at 2 p.m. on September 19 in the same courtroom.