Gwangju: A 49-year-old man, identified by the surname Ji, received a life sentence from the Gwangju District Court for the murder of his wife and two high school-aged sons. Ji was convicted of drugging his family and intentionally driving their vehicle into the sea.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the tragic event took place on June 1 in the southwestern county of Jindo. Ji administered sleeping pills to his wife and sons before driving the car off a port. He managed to escape through an open window and fled to the city of Gwangju without seeking any help for his family. Ji was captured approximately 44 hours after the incident.
Ji, employed as a rebar worker, confessed to the authorities that financial distress prompted him to commit the heinous act. He had accumulated about 200 million won (approximately US$143,000) in debt and owed around 30 million won in unpaid wages to workers under his management.
In its statement, the court underscored the severity of Ji's actions, remarking, "Even until the moment they lost their lives, the sons will not have imagined that the parent they loved would murder them. This is a serious crime that cannot be accepted for whatever reason."