SOUTH KOREA. DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF MARINE

April 3, 2008: a South Korean man was sentenced to death in a court-martial for killing a South Korean marine and stealing his rifle and ammunition, according to the Ministry of National Defence. Cho Young-guk, 35, stabbed one marine to death and critically wounded another on Gwangha Island on December 6.
He fled after stealing a rifle, a grenade and ammunition from the pair. The Korean constitution allows the military to court-martial a civilian in certain cases. Court officials said Cho attacked the marines to take revenge on his former girlfriend of 10 years, who refused to reconcile with him. Cho wanted the woman to suffer by seeing his self-destructive behaviour.
Cho's defense attorneys said his client suffered from mental illness and had previously attempted suicide three times, according to Yonhap. Cho can appeal his sentence until April 14. (Sources: Stars And Stripes, 07/04/2008)