After more than 20 years, a major legal twist has occurred in one of South Korea’s most famous murder cases. On January 6th, 47-year-old Kim Shin-Hye (김신혜) was officially declared not guilty by the Gwangju District Court (광주지방법원) after a retrial. Kim, who was initially accused of killing her father, was released after years of relentless appeals.
This dramatic reversal was long awaited by Kim, who has been fighting for justice all these years. Her journey was full of hardships and riddled with mysteries.
The Tragic Incident
On the night of March 6, 2000, Kim Shin-Hye took the midnight bus back to her family home in the fishing village of Gwan-do (莞岛), just like any other day. Due to her family’s poor financial situation, she had dropped out of school early. She worked hard to support her mother and care for her father, as well as her younger brother and sister. 
When she arrived home, she received devastating news. Around 1:00 AM on March 7, a body was found near a bus stop in Gwan-do. It was her father’s lifeless body, lying on the side of the road. There were no visible signs of injury. To all appearances, it seemed as if he had just fallen asleep, but he showed no signs of life.
The police immediately launched an investigation.
Initial Findings: A Mysterious Death
After an initial investigation, the police made some alarming discoveries. Kim’s father had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.303% and traces of doxylamine (doxylamine succinate) in his system. The amount was equivalent to about 30 pills. This led the police to believe that foul play was involved.
Kim’s father was soon buried. However, shortly after the funeral, Kim’s uncle (father’s brother-in-law) went to the police. He claimed that Kim Shin-Hye had killed her father.
Accusation and Arrest
Without waiting for Kim to recover from the shock, the police arrested her. They accused her of poisoning her father by mixing the sedatives into his favorite drink. Afterward, she allegedly disposed of his body near the bus stop.
The reason behind this accusation stemmed from two factors. First, Kim’s uncle had reported to the police that both Kim and her sister had suffered sexual abuse from their father during their childhood. He claimed that Kim had killed her father out of revenge.
Second, the police discovered that Kim had taken out eight insurance policies in her father’s name shortly before his death. This further supported the theory of murder for financial gain.
The Case in Court
The police interrogation seemed to have solved the case. Kim Shin-Hye allegedly “admitted” to having poisoned her father’s drink with sedatives. However, the only problem was that Kim denied the charges in court. She claimed that she had confessed under duress and was covering up for the real killer—her younger brother.
A Web of Lies?
According to Kim and her sister, shortly after the funeral, their uncle had coerced Kim into confessing to the murder. Her brother had allegedly killed their father in retaliation for the sexual abuse. Kim had been pressured to take the fall for him. Kim’s uncle, however, denied any involvement in such manipulation. This made the case even more complex.
Despite the growing doubts, in March 2001, the court sentenced Kim Shin-Hye to life in prison. The court cited insufficient evidence to prove her innocence.
National Attention
The “Kim Shin-Hye Father Murder Case” shocked South Korea (대한민국). Kim became known as the “Father Killer” in the media. The story of her alleged insurance scam and revenge remained a hot topic for years. Despite the public outcry, Kim’s appeals were largely ignored.
A Turn of Events
In 2014, a lawyer visited Kim in prison. After listening to her story, he realized that something was amiss. Kim explained that she had been tortured during the police interrogation and had only confessed to the crime due to the pressure. The police had raided her house without a warrant. They had physically assaulted her and forced her to sign a confession.
In 2018, South Korea’s SBS aired an investigative documentary on the case. The breakthrough came when they consulted medical experts. The experts debunked the police’s theory. The sedative levels in Kim’s father’s body were far below the lethal dose. The claim that he had been poisoned to death was therefore disproven.
Insurance Claims: A False Narrative
Moreover, SBS investigators uncovered that three of the eight insurance policies Kim allegedly purchased were canceled. Further investigation revealed that Kim had never even seen her father alive before his death. This cast further doubt on the entire premise of the case.
In essence, SBS and the lawyer concluded that the entire case was a fabrication. It was built on false accusations from Kim’s uncle and the coerced confession obtained through police violence.
A Long Road to Justice
Despite all this new evidence, Kim remained in prison for several more years. It wasn’t until 2020 that South Korean civil rights groups and lawyers were able to secure a retrial. In January 2021, after thoroughly reviewing the evidence, the Gwangju District Court decided that the original confession could not be used as evidence. The court also ruled that there was no conclusive proof that Kim had killed her father.
The court ruled that there was insufficient evidence, and Kim Shin-Hye was finally acquitted and released after 24 years behind bars.
The Final Words
Kim, upon her release from Changxing Prison (長興監獄), spoke emotionally. She acknowledged the long wait for justice. She expressed regret for not being able to protect her father. However, she also said she felt no shame in fulfilling her duty as a daughter.
This dramatic turn of events has finally brought an end to the notorious “millennium father murder case.” However, some mysteries still remain unsolved. Hopefully, the full truth will come to light in the future.
