A soldier who killed his wife and faked a traffic accident was sentenced to 35 years in prison in the second trial... Supreme Court concludes today - South Korean media

An army non-commissioned officer who murdered his wife and then faked her death in a traffic accident in order to receive a huge death insurance payout has been given a long prison sentence in both his first and second trials.
The Supreme Court will make its final decision today. On the morning of the 31st, the Supreme Court will hold a hearing to hear the appeal of defendant A (48), who was indicted on charges of murder and other crimes.
On March 8 last year, defendant A strangled his wife, Ms. B (41), until she lost consciousness, then put her in the passenger seat of his car and drove her to Gangwon-do (Gangwon Province).
He is accused of intentionally crashing into a concrete wall on a road in Donghae, causing the death of B. He is also accused of faking the death of B in a traffic accident and collecting approximately 470 million won in death insurance money.
The investigation revealed that at the time of the crime, defendant A had received a total of 290 million won (approximately 32 million yen) from multiple banks and credit card companies.
He was in debt of ¥100 million. He was unable to repay the debt on time and had taken out short-term loans several times.
The first trial sentenced Defendant A to 35 years in prison, exceeding the 30 years sought by the prosecution.
The first trial court ruled, "From the early stages of the investigation through to this trial, the defendant has consistently made unconvincing excuses that the victim chose to kill herself, and statements that contradict the objective circumstances, showing that he has no intention of committing the crime.
"Considering the seriousness of the crime and his attitude, we have no choice but to isolate the defendant from society for a long period of time and hold him accountable for his crimes," the court said.
In the appeal hearing, Defendant A denied the allegations, saying, "The first trial court misinterpreted the autopsy report from the National Forensic Service and found him guilty," and said that his wife made an extreme choice of her own accord.
However, the second trial's decision was the same as the first trial. The second trial said, "There is no direct evidence that the victim was murdered," but added, "The contents of the autopsy report, the statement of the autopsy doctor in court, and the ordinary people's opinion that the
"Taking into account factors such as the defendant's inexplicable behavior after the accident, it is possible to acknowledge that he caused the traffic accident in order to kill the victim and cover up the crime," the court explained in its ruling.
He continued, "The crime of murdering his wife and then attempting to cover up the crime is extremely serious," and added, "The sentence handed down by the second trial cannot be considered unjust."
The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliberate on the issue of whether the murder charge exists and whether it violates the Special Law for the Prevention of Insurance Fraud, and then make a decision.