Seoul man with schizophrenia sentenced to 10 years for brother's murder

A 40‑year‑old man suffering from schizophrenia was convicted of murdering his younger brother in August 2022 at his apartment in Gwanak‑gu, Seoul. After the victim asked him to hurry out of the bathroom, the offender seized a kitchen knife, blocked the door and repeatedly stabbed his brother, who later died despite calling emergency services.

Both the Seoul Central District Court and the Seoul High Court upheld a 10‑year prison term with a treatment‑custody order, citing the defendant’s mental illness, the risk of recidivism and the need for long‑term psychiatric care. The courts noted his lack of prior criminal record and his parents’ request for leniency, but affirmed that the homicide was a grave crime warranting the imposed sentence.