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Prosecutors ask for 30-year sentence for man who brutally murdered his elderly mother in Gwangju

Published: 14 May. 2025, 14:10

[JOONGANG ILBO]

Prosecutors have requested a 30-year prison sentence for a man in his 60s who brutally murdered his elderly mother during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Prosecutors described the crime as “one of the most gruesome acts imaginable” and dismissed the defendant’s plea of diminished responsibility at a sentencing hearing held Wednesday at the Gwangju District Court.

“Even if the defendant’s mental condition is considered, his culpability remains extremely high,” the prosecutor in the case stated.

The defendant was indicted on charges of parricide for fatally assaulting his mother, who was in her 80s and exhibited signs of dementia. The incident occurred at their home in Hak-dong, Dong District, Gwangju, at approximately 12:11 a.m. on Jan. 29 — Lunar New Year’s Day.

According to investigators, the man struck his mother multiple times while she was resting in her room. He then forcibly extracted her teeth using a blunt object before fatally stabbing her.

The attack reportedly stemmed from the man’s claim that he was no longer able to care for his mother due to her age and mental condition. Other family members were out of the house at the time.

The man had a long history of depression and had reportedly stopped taking antidepressant medication several years prior.

During final arguments, the man’s defense attorney acknowledged the severity and public revulsion surrounding the crime but argued for leniency.

“The defendant had been unemployed and unable to afford his medication, effectively left alone to care for his ailing mother,” the attorney said. “Alcohol can exacerbate aggression in depressive patients. He was in a state of total loss of self-control.”

The man himself told the court, “I still can’t believe what happened. I am deeply remorseful.”

The final verdict is scheduled to be delivered on May 28.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]