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Man is charged with killing his Vietnamese wife
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Case again puts spotlight on risks involved in international marriages
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A brutal murder in North Gyeongsang again points out the dangers and risks that are still prevalent in international marriages in Korea.
According to regional police, a 37-year-old man surnamed Lim stabbed his 23-year-old Vietnamese wife, identified as Hwang, multiple times with a knife, killing her at about 1 a.m. yesterday. Afterward, Lim left his home, shouting, “I have killed someone!”
Hwang gave birth to a boy just 19 days prior.
Upon hearing Lim’s cries, neighbors called the police, who said they found Lim wandering near his one-room apartment with the murder weapon in hand. After entering the apartment, the police found Hwang’s body lying in a pool of blood with her infant son crying beside her.
Police said Lim testified that he argued with his wife often since their marriage in April 2010 and that they had fought before he killed her yesterday.
The murder echoed a similar killing 10 months ago when a man with a history of mental illness killed his 20-year-old Vietnamese bride eight days after their marriage. The man, surnamed Chang, was sentenced to 12 years in prison last year.
After that murder, the Korean government adopted new precautions for international brides who mostly come from Southeast Asia to find Korean husbands. According to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, a health exam is mandatory for prospective brides and grooms.
“Last year when we were drawing up a new policy for international marriages, there was discussion of including [in the clauses] mental health history, including treatment,” said a ministry official. “That plan fell through due to complications.”
The official said that it was the ministry’s duty to protect women in international marriages and that it is looking into the situation.
By Christine Kim [christine.kim@joongang.co.kr]
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