Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Killing Live-in Girlfriend and Burying Her in Cement

[The Financial News] A man who killed his live-in girlfriend and buried her body in the veranda has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
According to the legal community on the 29th, the Supreme Court of Korea's First Division, presided over by Justice Shin Sookhee, upheld the lower court’s 14-year prison sentence for Mr. A, who was charged with murder. For violating the Narcotics Control Act (psychotropic drugs), Mr. A was also sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison.
Mr. A was brought to trial for killing his live-in girlfriend in October 2008 by repeatedly striking her with a pot lid. On the day of the incident, he committed the crime in a fit of rage during an argument over a romantic issue.
After the crime, Mr. A placed the body in a suitcase and left it on the veranda. He then stacked bricks around the suitcase and poured cement over it, disguising it as part of the original structure.
The crime was uncovered 16 years later, in August last year, when the building owner called a contractor to repair a water leak. During the demolition of a concrete structure, the suitcase containing the body was discovered.
During the investigation, authorities also found that Mr. A had purchased 0.5 grams of methamphetamine last August and used it on three occasions. The charge of concealing a corpse was not applied due to the expiration of the seven-year statute of limitations.
The first trial sentenced Mr. A to 14 years in prison for murder. The court stated, "By placing the victim’s body in a suitcase and burying it in cement on the building’s rooftop, he made it difficult to uncover the truth." The court also noted, "Given the means and methods of the crime, the severity of his guilt is extremely grave."
The appellate court dismissed the appeal, and the Supreme Court of Korea also found no error in the previous rulings, finalizing the sentence.

jisseo@fnnews.com Minji Seo Reporter