**Title: 40-Year-Old Woman Sentenced to 30 Years for Murdering Ex-Husband to Extort Ritual Money**
A 40-year-old woman has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of her ex-husband, whom she killed in an attempt to extort money for her children’s shamanic ritual. The Supreme Court’s third division (with Justice Lee Sook-yeon presiding) upheld the original sentence last month.
The woman, referred to as A, was influenced and encouraged by a shaman, identified as B, who also received a 30-year sentence. The shaman allegedly gaslighted A, leading her to believe in the necessity of the ritual. Additionally, A’s daughter, C, who participated in the attack by pretending to be possessed by spirits, was sentenced to 10 years.
The incident happened on May 9 of last year in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, where A and her accomplices violently assaulted D, her ex-husband, causing his death. Another minor child involved was not charged due to their age.
A and D had been regular attendees at the shaman’s establishment since 2017, gradually putting faith in his claims. After A’s divorce, she lived with her children in B’s residence. They demanded money from D, claiming that it was necessary to perform a ritual to cure ailments supposedly caused by spirits.
When D refused to pay, the group resorted to violence. Over a period of six days, they brutalized him, causing multiple injuries that led to his death.
The first trial sentenced both A and B to life imprisonment, criticizing the brutality of their repeated attacks, which left no room for D’s defense. However, the sentences were reduced to 30 years on appeal, considering factors like the lack of a prior criminal record and immediate reporting of the crime to police.
Despite further appeals, the Supreme Court found no errors in the appellate court’s judgment, finalizing their sentences.