Man kills mother-in-law after prolonged domestic abuse

A woman in her 50s who was killed by her son-in-law in Daegu had been living with her daughter to protect her from domestic abuse, police said.

The Daegu Bukbu Police Station said on April 3 that the victim, identified as A, 54, moved in with her daughter, surnamed Choi, 26, in September last year after the daughter began suffering abuse from her husband, surnamed Cho, 27, soon after their marriage.

The violence against A began on Feb. 20, when the three moved into a studio apartment in Daegu’s Jung District. Police said Cho assaulted her during the move, reportedly angered by delays in unpacking. The abuse continued afterward. The small, single-room layout left the two women with no space to avoid him or safely seek help.

Choi urged her mother to leave, but the mom chose to stay, reportedly believing the abuse would worsen if her daughter were left alone.

On March 18, Cho killed his mother-in-law after the assault. He then placed her body in a suitcase and abandoned it in the Sincheon stream in Chilseong-dong, about a 10- to 20-minute walk from their home.

Police said Cho threatened his wife, warning her not to report the crime or respond to calls. He kept her under close watch for about two weeks, accompanying her whenever she left the home, until the suitcase was discovered on March 31. Choi told investigators she did not come forward because she feared retaliation.

Police have detained Cho on charges of killing a family member and abandoning a body. Choi has also been detained on charges of abandoning a body. Authorities said they are reviewing whether to pursue additional charges related to domestic violence against Cho.

Officials added that they are considering whether to disclose Cho’s identity, citing opposition from the victim’s family and the need to determine whether legal conditions are met.


Young-Hun Jang jang@donga.com