South Korean man sentenced to life for murdering son with homemade gun

South Korea's Supreme Court has finalized a life sentence for a man in his 60s who murdered his son with a homemade firearm during a birthday celebration in Incheon last July. The defendant, identified as A, killed his 33-year-old son, B, after the son had prepared a birthday meal for him. Investigations revealed that A shot his son twice, even after the victim pleaded for his life.

A was also charged with attempted murder of four other people present at the scene, including his daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. The court found that A had planned the crime since August 2024, using YouTube to learn how to manufacture homemade firearms and ignition devices. He also modified ammunition purchased 20 years ago to increase lethality.

The motive was linked to financial disputes. After receiving long-term financial support from his ex-wife and son, the support was cut off in late 2023. This led A to develop delusions that his family was deceiving and isolating him.

Additionally, the court upheld a conviction for attempted arson. A had set up an ignition device and timer at his home in Seoul to start a fire. While A argued that no fire actually ignited, the court ruled that setting the device to trigger automatically constituted the commencement of the crime.