Man who stabbed market vendor 'to get sent to prison' faces life sentence

Prosecutors have sought a life sentence for a man in his 40s who stabbed a vendor at a traditional market in North Jeolla Province.

At the closing arguments hearing Monday for the attempted murder case of the defendant, identified only as A, 43, before the 11th Criminal Division of Jeonju District Court — presided over by Chief Judge Lee Young-eun — prosecutors requested a life sentence along with 30 years of electronic monitoring and five years of probation.

A's defense attorney said the defendant "acknowledges and confesses to all criminal charges," adding, "It is extremely shameless to ask, but please take this into full consideration and show leniency." In his final statement, A said he felt "nothing but remorse toward the victim."

During the proceedings, the presiding judge asked what he had been thinking when he committed the crime. "I don't know. I was drunk …" A said.

A was indicted on charges of stabbing B, a vendor in his 60s, five times with a knife at a traditional market in Muju-eup, Muju-gun, North Jeolla Province, on the afternoon of July 26.

B was rushed to a hospital and narrowly survived, but sustained injuries serious enough to require 28 weeks of medical treatment.

After his arrest, A told police he had committed the crime because "life was too hard and he wanted to go to prison."