Supreme Court confirms life sentence for man who killed son with homemade gun
In short
South Korea's Supreme Court confirmed a life sentence and 20 years of electronic location monitoring for a 63-year-old man convicted of shooting his son dead with a homemade gun at his own birthday party in Incheon in July 2025. He was also convicted of attempting to kill four other people in the apartment and of attempted arson at his own Seoul home. Courts found he acted on a delusion that his ex-wife and son had deceived and isolated him after his living allowance was cut.
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South Korea's Supreme Court confirmed life imprisonment and a 20-year electronic location monitoring order for a 63-year-old man convicted of killing his son with a homemade gun at his own birthday party, several outlets reported on October 7. He was convicted of murder, attempted murder, violations of the firearms and explosives safety law, and attempted arson of an occupied building. Outlets named Justice Eom Sang-pil as the presiding judge but differed on which division of the court handled the case. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
According to the reports, the man fired two shotgun rounds from a homemade gun at his son, aged 33, at the son's apartment in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, on the evening of July 20, 2025, during a party the family had held for his birthday. Prosecutors found he fired once, then fired a second time after his wounded son leaned against a wall and pleaded, “살려달라”. Reports put the time at about 9:30 pm, with one giving 9:31 pm. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
He was also convicted of trying to kill four other people who were in the home. Documents describe them as his daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and one further person, identified variously as the daughter-in-law's acquaintance, an acquaintance of the couple, or a foreign family tutor. Separately, he was convicted of attempted arson over ignition devices and flammable materials prepared at his own apartment in Dobong-gu, Seoul; reports differ on whether the timer was set for the day after the killing or two days later, and police dismantled the devices before they activated. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Investigators said the man had divorced his wife after a sex-crime conviction — reported as 1998 or 1999 — but continued to live with his ex-wife and son until about 2015. He received long-term financial support from them, and from August 2021 to September 2023 took duplicated living allowances, which reports put at 6.4 million won a month, or about 3.2 million won a month in one account. After the support was cut in late 2023, investigators said he developed a delusion that his ex-wife and son had deceived and isolated him, and decided to take revenge by killing his son's family. Yonhap and NoCut News reported that he began planning in August 2024 and learned to make a homemade gun and automatic ignition devices from online videos, modifying decades-old shotgun shells. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The first and second instance courts sentenced him to life imprisonment with 20 years of electronic monitoring. The second-instance court said the planning and scale of the crime made it extremely serious, and that human life must be protected in all circumstances, according to Seoul Economic Daily. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty at the first-instance hearing and appealed on sentencing grounds, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. [ 3 , 5 ]
The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts, finding no error in the legal reasoning on intent to kill. On the arson charge, it held that a perpetrator who installs an ignition device with the intent to burn a building and completes the settings so that ignition occurs automatically after a set time, without further action and leading to combustion, has commenced the crime of arson. Yonhap reported that the court confirmed the original ruling last month; other outlets reported the confirmation as announced on October 7. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The ruling ends the appeals in a case that drew attention for the homemade weapon, the timing of the killing during a family celebration and the separate arson plan against a residential building. The Supreme Court's reasoning on when an automatic ignition device counts as the start of arson sets out how such attempted-arson cases are treated. Coverage across national outlets treats the case as a crime and sentencing story rather than a policy matter.
Key facts
- The Supreme Court confirmed a life sentence and a 20-year electronic monitoring order for a 63-year-old man convicted of murder, attempted murder, firearms law violations and attempted arson of an occupied building. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- He was convicted of firing two shotgun rounds from a homemade gun at his son at his own birthday party at his son's apartment in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, on July 20, 2025. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Prosecutors found he fired once, then fired again after his wounded son leaned against a wall and pleaded, "살려달라". [ 3 , 4 ]
- He was also convicted of trying to kill four other people who were in the apartment, identified in reports as his daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and one other person. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- He prepared ignition devices and flammable materials at his own apartment in Dobong-gu, Seoul, but police dismantled the devices before they activated. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Investigators said he had received 6.4 million won a month in duplicated living allowances from his ex-wife and son between August 2021 and September 2023, and that support was cut from November 2023. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The Supreme Court ruled that installing an automatic ignition device and completing its settings can constitute the commencement of arson even if no fire started. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Supreme Court confirmed life imprisonment and a 20-year electronic location monitoring order for the 63-year-old man. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The killing took place on July 20, 2025 at the son's apartment in Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, during a birthday party held for the father. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- He was convicted of murder, attempted murder, firearms-related violations and attempted arson of an occupied building. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The Supreme Court held that setting up an automatic ignition device and its timer can count as the start of arson, rejecting his appeal on that charge. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Investigators found he had hidden that he received living allowances from both his ex-wife and his son, and that the support was later cut. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Which Supreme Court division handled the case Documents disagree: Asia Economy and NoCut News say the 3rd division, Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap say the 2nd division, and Kyunghyang Shinmun says the 1st division; all name Justice Eom Sang-pil as the presiding judge.
- Whether the ruling was finalised in September or announced on October 7 Yonhap says the Supreme Court confirmed the original ruling last month, while other outlets report the confirmation as announced on October 7.
- The identity of the fourth person the defendant allegedly tried to kill Seoul Economic Daily says a daughter-in-law's acquaintance, Yonhap says an acquaintance of the couple, and Kyunghyang Shinmun says a foreign family tutor; NoCut News says an acquaintance who fled to the apartment stairs.
- The exact monthly living allowance he received Seoul Economic Daily, Yonhap and NoCut News report 6.4 million won a month (320만 won from each of his ex-wife and son), while Kyunghyang Shinmun says he received about 3.2 million won a month.
- When the arson timer was set to activate Seoul Economic Daily says it was set to ignite the day after the killing, Yonhap says two days later, and NoCut News says about 19 hours later at nine points in the home.
- The defendant's surname NoCut News names him as Cho (조모), while the other documents identify him only as Mr A.
- When the marriage ended Seoul Economic Daily and Kyunghyang Shinmun say the 1999 divorce, while Yonhap links a 1998 sex-crime arrest to the divorce.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The defendant begins receiving duplicated monthly living allowances from his ex-wife and son, according to investigators. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The duplicated payments end, per the investigation findings. [ 3 , 6 ]
- Living allowance support is cut, which investigators say led the defendant to plan revenge. [ 3 , 6 ]
- The defendant begins planning the crime and learning how to make a homemade gun and automatic ignition device online, according to investigators. [ 4 , 6 ]
- The defendant fires a homemade gun at his son during his own birthday party at the son's apartment in Songdo-dong, Incheon. [ 3 , 4 ]
- One report places the shooting at about 9:31 pm. [ 3 ]
- A photograph caption shows the arrested defendant being sent to prosecutors at Nonhyeon police station in Namdong-gu, Incheon. [ 2 ]
- Asia Economy, Newsis, Seoul Economic Daily and Yonhap publish reports on the confirmed sentence. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes its report. [ 5 ]
- NoCut News publishes its report. [ 6 ]