SEOUL: South Korean police are investigating a Korean man in his 40s for allegedly pouring boiling water on his Thai wife while she slept, authorities said on Wednesday (Dec 10).
According to Uijeongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province, the man is accused of dousing his wife’s face with boiling water around noon on Dec 3 as she was taking a nap.
The woman suffered severe burns, and the man later took her to a hospital in Seoul’s Seongdong-gu. The medical staff, suspecting domestic abuse, alerted police around 9pm.
After police intervened, the suspect reportedly apologised and sought forgiveness.
However, the victim told authorities she did not wish to continue the relationship and had come to the hospital with her husband because she could not afford the medical fees on her own.
During questioning, the man told investigators he “wanted to make her ugly so she wouldn’t see other men,” according to police.
Authorities said they are reviewing evidence and plan to request an arrest warrant soon.
The case gained widespread attention after Thai media reported on it, following the victim’s social media post showing her face fully wrapped in bandages.
Tanee Sangrat, the Thai ambassador to South Korea, visited the victim to wish her a swift recovery and said the embassy would work with South Korean authorities to provide legal assistance and interpretation support. - The Korea Herald/ANN
