A woman whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in Daegu is believed to have been living with her daughter in an attempt to protect her from domestic abuse, according to South Korean police.
The case has exposed a prolonged pattern of violence within a small one-room residence, with authorities detailing months of alleged abuse leading up to the fatal incident.
Police said a 27-year-old man is accused of assaulting his mother-in-law, aged 54, over several hours in March, ultimately causing her death. Investigators revealed the victim had moved in with her daughter shortly after her marriage in September, out of concern over signs of abuse by her son-in-law.
The situation reportedly worsened after the family relocated to a studio apartment in Jung-gu in February, where the suspect is believed to have repeatedly attacked the victim over minor issues, including delays in unpacking household items.
Despite being urged by her daughter to leave the residence, the victim chose to remain and later died on March 18 following sustained physical assault.
Authorities said the suspect then placed the body in a suitcase and, together with his wife, transported it on foot for around 10 to 20 minutes before dumping it into the Sincheon River in the Chilseong-dong area.
Further investigations found that the suspect allegedly restricted his wife’s movements and communication to prevent the crime from being reported. He is believed to have closely monitored her for nearly two weeks until the body was discovered.
The wife later told investigators she did not alert authorities out of fear of retaliation from her husband.
The victim’s body was found on March 31, leading to the arrest of both the suspect and his wife on the same day.
The man is currently being held on charges including murder and disposal of a body, while his wife faces charges related to assisting in the disposal. Police are also considering additional charges linked to domestic abuse against the suspect’s spouse.
