Prosecutors seek prison terms for taekwondo staff in attempted murder case

Prosecutors have sought prison sentences for a taekwondo studio employee and its director for attempting to murder the employee's husband in Bucheon, South Korea. During a final hearing at the Incheon District Court Bucheon Branch, prosecutors requested a 5-year sentence for the female employee in her 40s and a 7-year sentence for the female director in her 20s.

The defendants are accused of making three attempts to kill the husband between late April and early June. This included searching for poisoning methods online, mixing tranquilizers into alcohol, and attempting to use a weapon, which resulted in a five-week injury to the victim's neck. Prosecutors also requested 10 years of electronic monitoring and five years of probation.

The defense argued that the employee was a victim of gaslighting and physical abuse by the director. The victim, the employee's husband, testified in court requesting leniency, stating his wife had been a good person for 13 years and was acting under duress. However, prosecutors countered this by citing KakaoTalk messages where the employee allegedly expressed a desire for her husband's death rather than a simple separation. Sentencing is scheduled for September 30.