On Wednesday, December 13, a man in his 40s was sentenced by the Seoul Northern District Court to prison for setting his mother-in-law on fire, which he claimed was a part of an exorcism.
Image used for illustrative purposes only | Seoul Shinmun
The man, identified as 44-year-old Mr. Kim, reportedly went to visit his 68-year-old mother-in-law at a hospital in Northeastern Seoul where she was being treated for lung cancer. According to the victim’s side, Kim was annoyed when she asked him multiple times if he had been drinking, and he lit pieces of tissue paper on fire with the lighter he had with him, throwing them at her. The incident, which occurred on May 29, resulted in second-degree burns on various parts of the victim’s body, including her scalp, hand, face, and neck.
Mr. Kim was charged with injuring a person by setting fire to a building, which, according to Article 164, Clause 2 of the Criminal Act, is punishable by up to life in prison. The minimum sentence for this crime is stipulated to be five years in prison by the law, but the state-run Sentencing Committee recommends between two and a half years to five years in prison. Kim was accordingly sentenced to two years and six months.
The Seoul Northern District Court | heerim.com
Kim was also charged with attempted murder of one’s ascendant, but it was dismissed by the court, citing insufficient evidence proving his intent.
During the legal proceedings, Kim’s lawyer argued that throwing the burning tissue papers was only part of an exorcism ritual and not intended to hurt the victim. He also said that the victim’s hair caught on fire only because she moved. Kim claimed that he had mental illness at the time of the crime and was on medication to treat his depression, which has a potential side effect of hallucination.
However, the court rejected these claims, saying that he was fully aware of the possible damage he could cause to the victim and the hospital properties, and sentenced him to prison.
