The Number Of Murder Cases Among Romantic Partners In Korea This Year Increases To 313 Since 2012
The number of murder cases among romantic partners in Korea increased since 2012. In a span of two years, it rose to 108 from 99. This year, it reached a total of 313 murder cases, according to Saenuri Party Representative Jeong Yong Ki.
"This means two people are being killed by their romantic partners every week," Representative Jeong said.
In an article published by The Korea Herald on Sunday, it stated that at least 114 Korean women were killed last year by their partners, based on a record. Furthermore, the data showed that around 95 women were able to survive from being attacked by their husbands, according to Korea Women's Hotline - a nongovernmental organization assisting women against violence.
Among the respondents of the NGO's survey, 90 percent of them said that they experienced being abused either physically or emotionally while dating or during courtship stage. Meanwhile, around 20,500 people were arrested for violence against partners from 2011 to 2013.
Recently, a woman was found dead in a suitcase buried in the hills of Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province. The 26-year-old woman, whose surname was Kim, was allegedly killed by her boyfriend. Reports said that the latter, who was drunk when the incident took place, killed Kim after she tried to break up with him.
The suspect, surnamed Lee, also pretended to be Kim on social media for two weeks after he committed the crime. Police reports revealed that Lee used to break into his girlfriend's house for "not picking up his calls" and would assault Kim. Lee admitted the crime to the police and said that he killed his partner "in a fit of rage" after he found out the Kim wanted to end the relationship.
According to reports, the two met at a private English institution in Busan where Kim was a teacher and Lee was a student.
Meanwhile, Psychology Today stated in an article posted on Sept 22, 2014 that 40 percent of female murder victims globally were killed by their own husbands or partners. Among the reasons claimed by male murderers were the following: "(a) they committed the murder out of love, and (b) it was a result of loving too much. We accept (a) and reject (b). Wife murder does not express profound love; rather, it is an abusive type of the problematic fusion model of love."