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Songdo shooting suspect killed son despite pleas for mercy

Published: 25 Aug. 2025, 15:59

The assailant in the homemade firearm incident that occurred in Songdo International City last month is transferred from Incheon Nonhyeon Police Precinct to prosecution on July 30. [NEWS1]

The assailant in the homemade firearm incident that occurred in Songdo International City last month was found to have fired additional shots despite his son’s pleas for mercy. Prosecutors say the suspect believed that his financial support would be cut off.

The 62-year-old suspect had been receiving 6.4 million won ($4,610) per month from 2021 to 2023 in overlapping payments from his ex-wife and son, according to an indictment News1 obtained from Rep. Joo Jin-woo of the People Power Party (PPP) on Monday.

In November 2023, the ex-wife learned that both she and their son had been giving him and stopped providing living expenses for the overlapping period.

The man then became deluded that “my ex-wife made it seem like she would provide financial support for life, but once I reached my 60s, she suddenly cut it off.” He also lamented that his ex-wife and son had isolated him and left him to live alone. During police questioning, the man said, “They conspired and set me up.”

With this mindset, the man decided to kill the son his ex-wife loved and his family. While looking for a weapon, the man recalled that about 180 shotgun shells he had purchased 20 years ago were stored in a warehouse.

He purchased tools to make a homemade firearm through an online shopping mall. He also conducted test firings at his residence in preparation for the crime.

On the day of the incident, July 20, the man was holding his birthday party when he told others he would go to a convenience store and left his son’s home in Songdo. At a public parking lot, he retrieved two firing mechanisms, four barrels and about 15 shotgun shells from his vehicle.

Shortly after, he loaded a shell into the barrel in the hallway in front of the door and rang the doorbell. When his son opened the door, the man fired the homemade firearm at him. The son leaned against the wall and begged for his life, but the man fired another round into the right side of his son’s chest.

“This tragic incident led to the victim’s death due to a delay of over an hour in the initial response,” said Joo. “The authority and responsibility of on-scene commanders must be strengthened, immediate entry protocols should be clearly defined, and practical training must be reinforced.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]