A man in his 50s was sentenced by court to three years and six months in prison, for a knife attack on a business partner who accused him of being Chinese.
Seoul Northern District Court found the defendant guilty of attempted murder in its April 1 ruling, officials said Wednesday. The court dismissed the defendant's claims that he had no intent to kill the suspect and that he had been not of sound mind at the time of the attack, pointing out that the defendant clearly remembers their conversation.
It also pointed out that the defendant stabbed the victim in the neck, which appeared to be an attempt to take his life.
The attack took place while the two were having a drink at the victim's home on Sept. 15 of last year. They had gotten acquainted with each other over a business transaction, with the defendant selling motorcycle parts to the victim.
What started out as a cordial meeting turned hostile after the victim voiced anti-Chinese sentiment. When the defendant said it was cheaper to buy products on Chinese websites, the victim criticized China and accused the defendant of being Chinese.
The two got into a heated argument that led to the subsequent knife attack, which inflicted injuries on the victim's neck. The victim managed to escape fatal attacks after he fled the scene and locked himself inside a room.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
