Cho Jae-bok Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Brutal Murder of Mother-in-Law and Abandoning Body in Suitcase

Cho Jae-bok, who was put on trial on charges of assaulting his mother-in-law to death and abandoning her body inside a travel suitcase, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison in the first trial.

The 13th Criminal Division of the Daegu District Court handed down the sentence against Cho, who was indicted and detained on charges including parricide, today (15th).

The court also ordered him to wear a location-tracking electronic device for 30 years.

The court stated, "Parricide is a crime that violates the right to life, an absolute value specified by the Constitution, and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. In particular, parricide is an anti-humanitarian crime that not only takes a person's life but also destroys the trust within a family and community."

It explained, "The defendant, failing to control his anger, habitually assaulted his mother-in-law who lived with him, causing her health to deteriorate rapidly. Even the day before her death, due to the defendant's assault, the victim could not speak and could only make an 'X' sign with her hands, and she was unable to sleep properly or eat because her eyes and legs hurt."

It also added, "Contrary to the defendant's claim, he brought the victim, his mother-in-law, to live with him not to support her, but to exploit her economically," and "After the victim died, he put the body in a suitcase and abandoned it, showing no remorse as he exchanged messages with another woman."

The cause of death for the victim was investigated to be multiple injuries across her entire body.

The deceased mother-in-law was found to have suffered fractured ribs on both the left and right sides due to intense and prolonged assaults, along with damage and ruptures across her entire body, including her skull, chest, abdomen, and legs.

While Senior Judge Chae Hee-in was reading the criminal facts stated in the verdict, Cho let out a audible sigh, prompting Judge Chae to stop him, saying, "Defendant, just listen."

Previously, the prosecution sought a life sentence for Cho during the sentencing hearing held on September 17.

Regarding the reason for not sentencing him to life imprisonment, the court stated that it is difficult to conclude 100 percent that there is no room for improvement in his character through long-term imprisonment and proper treatment during that process.

As a result of an integrated psychological analysis, Cho's full-scale IQ score was 47, which is a very low level, and his comprehensive behavioral score related to daily living skills was 67, also a low level.

The analyzing agency determined that the defendant has an internal violent cognitive structure, has difficulty controlling anger, and shows low compliance with moral norms.

Cho was indicted and detained on charges of severely assaulting his mother-in-law, surnamed A, who lived with him in an officetel-style studio apartment in Jung-gu, Daegu, on March 18, causing her death, and then putting her body in a suitcase and abandoning it by the Sincheon stream in Chilsung-dong, Buk-gu.

He is also accused of committing abusive acts such as assault, surveillance, and economic control against his wife and mother-in-law.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.