Repeat offender gets commuted life sentence for robbery-murder

The Seoul High Court on Friday has commuted the death sentence of a 54-year-old man who robbed and murdered a woman, as well as killed an accomplice.

The man, Kwon Jae-chan, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being given a death sentence in June 2022.

The appellate said in a ruling that evidence to prove that his murder was premeditated was insufficient, while acknowledging that he had intended to rob the woman.

In December 2021, Kwon brutally choked the woman, whom the murderer was acquainted with, and stole a combined 15 million won ($11,500) from her in Incheon. He murdered an accomplice two days later.

Kwon is a repeat offender. In 1992, Kwon was sentenced six years of imprisonment for robbing and injuring a victim. Immediately after release from prison, Kwon was put behind bars for another four years for robbery-rape until 2002.

In 2003, he committed robbery and killed a pawn shop owner. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but he later got a commuted sentence of 15 years. He was released in 2018.