A man in his 60s who fired a homemade gun and killed his son at an apartment in Songdo, Incheon, was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial. The court found all charges, including attempted murder, guilty, citing circumstances such as pointing the gun at and threatening other family members immediately after the crime.
The 13th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Gi-pung) on the 6th sentenced A, 63, who was detained and indicted on charges including murder, attempted murder, and violating the Act on the Safety Management of Firearms, Swords, and Explosives, to life imprisonment and ordered the attachment of an electronic location-tracking device for 20 years.
The bench in particular also found A guilty of attempted murder, which A had claimed "was not intentional." The court said, "After killing his son, A approached other family members while holding a reloaded gun and made threatening remarks for a considerable time, such as trying to open the door to the room where the son had taken refuge," adding, "The intent to kill the victims was clearly evident."
As grounds for sentencing, the court noted, "A person's life is the most important and noble absolute value that cannot be traded for anything," and "Murder is a serious crime that infringes on this value, and because life cannot be restored by any means once infringed, the responsibility is extremely heavy."
It continued, "After killing his son, A also tried to harm his daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and even an acquaintance, and by installing an ignition device at the residence, he posed the risk of a disaster to neighbors." The court also mentioned that the preparation process was meticulous, including personally manufacturing and modifying firearms starting a year before the crime.
The court said, "On the day a gathering was arranged to celebrate a birthday, the victim lost his life to his father," adding, "Other family members appear to have suffered psychological shock to the extent that daily life is difficult, and they have not received forgiveness."
A was brought to trial on charges of firing a homemade gun at around 9:31 p.m. on July 20 last year at his 33rd-floor home in an apartment in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu District, Incheon, and killing his son, B (33 at the time of death). It was found that the daughter-in-law, two grandchildren, and the daughter-in-law's acquaintance were also in the home at the time, and A is also charged with attempting to kill them.
During the investigation, it was found that after A fired once, B, who had been shot, leaned against the wall and pleaded, "Save me," but A fired again, inflicting a fatal wound. It was also was found that starting around Aug. 2024, A planned the crime by learning how to make homemade firearms and automatic ignition devices through YouTube and other sources, and prepared by modifying old ammunition purchased long ago to increase lethality.
At A's residence in Dobong District, Seoul, a large amount of flammable materials, including PET bottles filled with thinner, and ignition devices were found, and it was determined that a timer had been set to ignite the following day.
Prosecutors believe that after A's divorce, A lived without a steady job and received financial support from an ex-wife and his son, but when the support was cut off at the end of 2023, A had difficulty securing living and entertainment expenses, fell into the delusion that "the ex-wife and the son deceived A," and decided to seek revenge. Earlier, at the sentencing hearing in December last year, prosecutors requested the death penalty, saying, "The crime is serious and the nature of the offense is poor."