“From that day on, my life was completely destroyed”… Four months for an attempted murder survivor

☞Subscribe to the Hankyoreh newsletter H:730. Type ‘Hankyoreh h730’ in the search bar. “I think it would have been better if I had died then.” Mr. Lee (31), whom I met at a cafe in Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do on the 20th, said this with the wounds from ‘that day’ four months ago still unhealed. Ms. Lee is a ‘survivor’ of an attempted murder by relationship who was on the brink of death in the intensive care unit after being stabbed with a weapon wielded by her ex-boyfriend, Mr. Choi Amugae (36), with whom she dated for eight months, at the beauty salon she ran. Mr. Lee said, “The incident was only an attempt, but after that day, my life was completely destroyed,” and “I will have to live with this memory and anxiety for decades to come. “I wonder what it would have been like if I had died then,” he said. For Mr. Lee, the four months after ‘that day’ were a time when he had to endure alone the wounds for which no one was responsible. On July 21st, when the ‘sword stabbing’ incident occurred in Sillim-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, Mr. Lee almost lost his life in another ‘sword stabbing’. It was briefly reported in the media as another incident, but the victim, who came to the media for the first time since that day, was writhing in pain. Mr. Lee cannot forget the look in Mr. Choi’s eyes when he entered the beauty salon around 2pm on the day of the incident. Mr. Choi, who brought a weapon from home, saw Mr. Lee and immediately said, “You said you would kill me if you met a man other than me, right? “Just die,” he said, stabbing Mr. Lee in the neck and chest a total of 18 times. Mr. Lee went back and forth between life and death due to injuries such as holes in his trachea and esophagus. If Mr. Lee does not take psychiatric medication, the scene comes back to him in his dreams and he shudders. The omen was clear. Even eight days before the incident, Mr. Choi came to the beauty salon saying he couldn’t accept the breakup notice and threw a cup, shouting, “I’m so angry that I want to stab you to death.” Mr. Lee said, “Last May, when I was told to break up, he threw the TV and reported it to the police, but other than separating the scene and providing emergency contact information, no other action was taken,” and “I did not report it afterward because I was afraid of retaliation after reporting.” “I didn’t,” he said. ‘Dating violence → reporting → dating murder’ is the same pattern that was repeated in the ‘Siheung-dong dating murder case’ in Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, which occurred two months before Mr. Lee’s case. At that time, the perpetrator also assaulted his ex-lover after receiving notice of a breakup, and when she reported it, he brandished a weapon out of revenge. Attorney Min Go-eun said, “Even if it is not domestic violence or stalking, you can apply for personal protection (safety measures for crime victims), but seeing as no information was provided, it appears that the police judged the case lightly,” and added, “Checklist to determine the risk of social violence cases. “We need to increase its accuracy and reliability and educate the front line so that they can use it appropriately,” he said. Mr. Lee, who was taken to Ajou University Hospital immediately after the incident, underwent major surgery that lasted 4 hours and 30 minutes. Fortunately, he survived, but permanent scars were left on his neck and chest. Because of his severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), he also takes psychiatric medication every day. The family economy collapsed. First aid and surgery costs were helped by the crime victim support system. However, all subsequent wound treatment and psychiatric treatment are borne by Lee. This cost alone was 4 million won. The beauty salon, which was a means of livelihood but was also the location of the crime, had no choice but to close due to the trauma. Because of Ms. Lee’s inability to be alone, her mother also quit working. The perpetrator, Mr. Choi, only communicated his intention to pay the settlement amount of 30 million won in installments through his lawyer. A statement of reflection was submitted to the court on the 7th. He apologized only after the prosecution requested a life sentence at the decision hearing held at the Ansan branch of the Suwon District Court on the 22nd. Lee’s mother wiped away tears with her handkerchief in the audience as her sentence was announced. Her mother said she was anxious, saying, “Even though she is sentenced to life in prison, her sentence is often commuted.” Lee also said, “I think the perpetrator can live in peace only if he is permanently isolated from society without a reduced sentence. “I hope the court imposes a harsh punishment,” she said. The court will pronounce its ruling on the 20th of next month. Reporter Go Byeong-chan kick@hani.co.kr Reporter Kim Young-won forever@hani.co.kr