Husband Who Seriously Injured Wife by Assaulting Her with a Wooden Sword Receives Reduced Sentence; ‘Settlement’ Cited as Reason

[Financial News] A husband in his 50s who stood trial for assaulting his Vietnamese wife with a wooden sword received a reduced sentence on appeal. The court took into account his settlement with the victim, among other factors.
According to legal sources on the 9th, the Suwon District Court’s Criminal Division 2, presided over by Chief Judge Lee Seong-yul, overturned the original sentence of one year and 10 months in prison imposed on Defendant A, who had been indicted on charges including aggravated injury, and sentenced him to one year and six months in prison. The court also ordered him to complete 40 hours of a domestic violence treatment program.
The court noted, "The defendant injured the victim by striking her head with a wooden sword, a dangerous object," adding, "Even though the victim tried to block the blows with her arms and hands, he repeatedly struck her head, inflicting severe injuries so serious that her skull was exposed. The nature of the crime is therefore extremely reprehensible."
The court further explained, "However, considering that he reached a settlement with the victim by the time of the appeal, we find the original sentence somewhat excessive." It nevertheless stated, "Given the nature of the offense and the extent of the injuries, an actual prison sentence was unavoidable," explaining both the reduction and the decision to maintain imprisonment.
A was indicted on charges of choking his wife, B, in the master bedroom of their home on April 3 and assaulting her multiple times with a one-meter-long wooden sword. The attack allegedly left all of her finger bones broken and caused injuries requiring eight weeks of treatment.
After the trial court sentenced him to one year and 10 months in prison, both the prosecution and A appealed, arguing that the sentence was inappropriate. Prosecutors asked the court to impose a five-year prison term.
During the trial, A reportedly pleaded for leniency, saying, "After signing a contract with an international marriage agency and going through two divorces, I was in a mentally difficult situation. I committed the offense impulsively because I was afraid the victim would run away."


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