South Korean man accused of scalding Thai wife denies charges

SEOUL - Police officials said on Dec 27 they have transferred to the prosecution the assault case of a South Korean man who maintains that

he did not intend to pour boiling water on his wife’s face.

The suspect, in his 40s, has been placed under arrest with detention for special bodily injury on another – assault via dangerous object or collective force – according to the Uijeongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province.

The suspect is accused of pouring boiling water on the victim’s face and neck at their home in Uijeongbu on Dec 3, inflicting second-degree burns on the victim’s body.

According to the victim, the suspect told her after the crime that he “wanted to make her ugly so she wouldn’t be able to date other men”, and asked her to stay in a relationship in exchange for him taking care of her.

The Uijeongbu District Court issued a warrant for his arrest, allowing the suspect to be held in custody for up to 10 days by police and up to 20 days by the prosecution, on Dec 16.

Police officials said the suspect has consistently denied criminal intent, saying it was an accident caused by his tripping.

“Despite the suspect’s denial, we have transferred the case (to the prosecutors) considering that the method of the crime and the scope of the damage constitute special bodily injury,” the police were quoted as saying.

The victim has recently been discharged from the hospital and is staying at a protection centre for the abused.

She has reportedly filed for divorce from the suspect and has also

filed for a civil lawsuit

against him.

An acquaintance of the victim said about half of the hospital fees due to the assault have been covered by donations, which were collected after the media coverage of the brutal attack sparked nationwide furore. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK