Man sentenced to 10 years in prison after attempting to kill mother for allegedly not showing empathy over his breakup

A man who attempted to kill his mother after claiming she did not empathize with his pain following his breakup with a romantic partner has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

[JOONGANG ILBO]

A man who attempted to kill his mother after claiming she did not empathize with his pain following his breakup with a romantic partner has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term.

The Changwon District Court sentenced the defendant to 10 years in prison and ordered five years of probation on the charge of attempted parricide, among other offenses, the court said on Tuesday.

The defendant was indicted for stabbing his mother multiple times with a weapon and with the intent to kill at the hair salon she operated in Changwon, South Gyeongsang, on July 5, 2025.

The mother suffered serious injuries to her neck and other parts of her body and required 32 weeks of treatment.

Investigators said the defendant committed the crime after he talked to her about his feelings regarding the breakup at the salon and became enraged when she did not show him empathy.

The defendant is also accused of injuring two customers who were waiting for hair treatments by swinging the weapon at them.

After the attack, the defendant, still carrying the weapon, left the salon and wandered around nearby commercial areas, attempting to open the doors of other businesses and causing fear among the public, according to the indictment.

“The crime was extremely impulsive and violent, and there is a risk of the defendant committing another homicide offense,” the court said, adding, “The defendant did not show any sincere signs of remorse or willingness to seek treatment for mental health issues.”

However, when determining the sentence, the court said it took into account the defendant admitting to the crime, the mother not wanting him to be punished and the defendant reaching settlements with some of the victims.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM EUN-BIN [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]