A district court in South Korea has handed down a seven-year prison sentence to a 58-year-old woman who carried out a violent and premeditated attack on her husband, citing suspicions of infidelity as her motive. The case, which has shocked the public due to its extreme brutality, was adjudicated by the Incheon District Court on January 23, 2026.
The attack took place in August 2024 at a café in Ganghwa County, Incheon. The woman did not act alone. Her 40-year-old son-in-law was also convicted for assisting in the assault and was sentenced to four years in prison. The incident has sparked renewed debate about domestic violence laws and criminal sentencing standards in South Korea.
According to court findings, the victim survived but suffered permanent and irreversible injuries.
Planned Assault and Severe Mutilation
Investigators revealed that the woman and her son-in-law restrained the victim while he was asleep, using rope and adhesive tape to immobilise him. Once subdued, he was stabbed approximately 50 times in the lower body.
In an act the court described as exceptionally cruel, the woman severed her husband’s genitals and disposed of them in a toilet. Prosecutors stated this was done deliberately to prevent any possibility of surgical reattachment. The victim was later transported for medical treatment and survived the attack.
Despite the sheer severity of the injuries, the court ruled that the crime did not meet the legal threshold for attempted murder. Judges noted that the woman avoided targeting vital organs such as the heart or neck, indicating an intent to inflict grievous harm rather than cause death.
She was therefore convicted of “special aggravated bodily harm” under South Korean criminal law.
Family Involvement and Illegal Surveillance
The case also implicated the woman’s daughter, aged in her mid-thirties. She was fined 3 million won (approximately S$3,000 after currency conversion) for aiding the crime by engaging an unlicensed private investigator.
The investigator reportedly used illegal GPS tracking to monitor the victim’s movements prior to the attack. Authorities stressed that the use of unauthorised surveillance services constitutes a breach of privacy laws and contributed to the planning of the assault.
The involvement of multiple family members added further complexity to the case, highlighting the extent of coordination behind the attack.
Court’s Reasoning and Victim’s Appeal for Leniency
During sentencing, the court acknowledged the extreme cruelty of the act and criticised the failure to provide immediate medical assistance after the assault. However, it also considered mitigating factors.
Notably, the victim himself requested leniency for his wife during the trial. The court took into account her expression of remorse and the fact that a settlement had reportedly been reached between the parties.
Nonetheless, judges emphasised that the severity and calculated nature of the crime warranted a substantial custodial sentence. The ruling has since drawn significant public attention, with legal observers debating whether the charge should have been elevated to attempted murder.
The case underscores the devastating consequences of domestic disputes escalating into violence, and it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of legal channels in resolving marital conflicts.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly reported court proceedings and is intended for informational purposes only.