The shocking truth of a family murder case

A man in his 40s, who drowned his wife and two sons in the sea due to financial difficulties, appealed for leniency in court.

The Gwangju District Court Criminal Division 12 held a hearing on the case of 49-year-old Mr. Ji, who was indicted for murder and aiding suicide.

Mr. Ji is accused of driving his car, which contained his wife and two sons who are high school students, into the sea at Paengmok Port in Jindo, Jeollanam-do, early on June 1.

At the time of the crime, he gave his family sleeping pills and then drove the vehicle into the sea, while he himself escaped through the car window and was the only survivor.

Mr. Ji, who worked as a rebar worker at a construction site, was facing severe financial difficulties due to a credit card debt of 200 million won and 30 million won in unpaid wages owed to day laborers.

It is even more tragic that, until the day before the incident, the two sons had been planning a trip together, searching for restaurants to visit in the morning.

Shocking reactions revealed in court

During the trial, Mr. Ji acknowledged all charges but submitted a letter of request and petition for leniency to the court. The judge strongly questioned, "Are those who wrote the petitions in their right mind?" and pressed him about the circumstances of the submissions.

Mr. Ji's lawyer explained, "I wrote the letter, and the petition was submitted by the defendant's older brother through acquaintances."

The court asked Mr. Ji about the circumstances of his lone survival and whether he took any rescue measures for his family immediately after the crime; however, as he was unable to provide clear answers, he was severely reprimanded.

After the evidence investigation, the prosecution sought a life sentence, stating, "This cold and irresponsible defendant should be isolated from society."

In his final statement, Mr. Ji expressed, "I am sorry to my children for my wrong thoughts."

The sentencing hearing for this case is scheduled to be held on the afternoon of the 19th of next month.

This case, which caused shock to many due to the extreme choice of family murder, is garnering social attention for its final ruling.

Image source: The Mokpo Coast Guard retrieves a vehicle carrying a family of four from Jindo Port in Jindo-gun on the 2nd. / Photo provided by Mokpo Coast Guard, for illustrative purposes only / gettyimagesbank