South Korean man jailed for attempted murder over Chinese insult, revealing racial tensions
The incident occurred when one business partner in Seoul called the other Chinese, reflecting ongoing national identity tensions
The Seoul Northern District Court found the man, in his fifties, guilty of attempted murder on April 1 and sentenced him to three years and six months in prison, as reported by The Korea Herald.
The defendant had claimed that he did not intend to kill the victim, and that he had been drunk and not in his right mind at the time of the attack. But the judges rejected this, noting that he could still recollect the whole conversation he had with the victim.
Additionally, the court pointed out that he had stabbed the victim in the neck – a serious injury that contradicted his claim that he did not plan to take his friend’s life.
The men were business partners; the defendant sold motorcycle parts to the victim, whose occupation was not specified.
The incident occurred while they were at the victim’s home on September 15 last year.