A man in his 40s who beat his romantic partner to death in Japan 11 years ago has been given a heavier prison sentence in his second trial.

The 7th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Goo Hoe-keun) sentenced the defendant, a 41-year-old man surnamed Kim, to 12 years in prison, increasing his sentence by two years from the 10-year term handed down in the first trial, on charges of murder and extortion.

The court upheld the guilty verdict for the charge that Kim brutally assaulted and killed a Korean exchange student surnamed Cho, who was living with him at a house in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, on May 26, 2015.

Just as in the first trial, the court ruled that it was not proven Kim had the intent to kill Cho, thereby recognizing only the charge of causing death by professional or bodily injury (manslaughter).

However, the court pointed out, "Considering that the victim was 23 years old at the time of the incident, that no recovery of damages has been made, and the profound grief of the victim's family, the sentence from the first trial was too light." It added, "The defendant needs time to serve his sentence, pray for the victim's soul, and reflect on his crime."

Kim, who had been standing trial without detention, was taken into custody in the courtroom following the sentencing.

With the eight years he already served in Japan credited toward his sentence, he has approximately four years left to serve.

(Photo: Yonhap News)