Woman, 69, gets 10 years for killing husband during argument; court cites diminished capacity

A woman in her 60s who killed her husband during a domestic argument has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Seoul Southern District Court's Criminal Division 15 sentenced Yoo, 69, to 10 years in prison Friday on murder charges. The court also ordered three years of probation.

Yoo is accused of killing her husband, also in his 60s, at their home in Deungchon-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, at around 3 p.m. on Dec. 5 last year, after a fight that broke out when she mistakenly suspected him of having an affair.

Police, responding to a report from a family member, arrested Yoo on an emergency basis roughly four hours after the incident.

In explaining the sentence, the court said "once a person's life has been taken, the harm cannot be undone, and the defendant bears very grave responsibility given the nature and outcome of the crime." It added that the defendant had been receiving medication for schizophrenia but had neglected her treatment, which contributed to the offense.

However, the court said it considered that "the defendant's diminished mental capacity due to schizophrenia influenced the crime," as well as the fact that the victim's bereaved family — who are also the defendant's own relatives — had asked for leniency.