On the October 26th episode of SBS's 'The Story of That Day', episode 213 titled 'Inheritance of Evil', featured guests including singer Sunye, Kim Jang-hoon, and actor Bae In-hyuk.
The case began in 2008 with a series of sexual assaults on women in their 20s and 30s in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk. Antique auctioneer Ahn Yong-min (alias) was identified as a suspect. Despite his denial, DNA evidence matched. The investigation revealed six cases over nine years, including cold cases. He was sentenced to 10 years in the first trial and 8 years on appeal.
After his release in 2018, within a year, he was investigated again for fatally assaulting his wife and imprisoning and assaulting his sister-in-law. He cut off his electronic anklet and fled but was captured, denying involvement in the death. His daughter, Ahn Eun-kyung (alias), visited the police, declaring, "My father is a murderer," and urged for severe punishment. Having suffered from her father's violence since childhood, she warned through broadcasts and petitions that unchecked domestic violence could lead to murder. Ahn Yong-min was sentenced to life imprisonment and cursed his daughter, saying, "Suffer like I did."
The cycle of violence led to another tragedy. In February 2021, Ahn Eun-kyung's 8-year-old niece, Saetbyeol (alias), was found dead in a bathroom in Yongin. The report claimed, "The child fell in the bathtub and isn't breathing," but her body was covered in bruises and wounds.
The scene revealed blood-stained tissues, a broken fly swatter, a taped handle, and water-soaked clothes to increase weight—tools that would cause significant pain even to adults. Sunye expressed, "It's too cruel," while Bae In-hyuk remarked, "It's too much pain for a child to endure."
Ahn Eun-kyung was immediately arrested as the perpetrator. Her phone contained about 70 abuse videos. A video taken two hours before Saetbyeol's death showed her body covered in bruises, unable to lift one arm. The autopsy revealed previously broken ribs, likely causing difficulty in raising her arm and making loud noises. When Saetbyeol couldn't lift her arm, Ahn Eun-kyung assumed she was faking and beat her with a fly swatter for four hours.
Another video showed Saetbyeol naked and abandoned, and being forced to eat dog feces. On the day of her death, despite severe physical injuries, she was tied up and waterboarded. The autopsy found a dislodged tooth in her esophagus, likely swallowed during the waterboarding. Sunye wept, and Bae In-hyuk, watching Ahn Eun-kyung's reenactment video, noted her lack of remorse. An expert commented, "This is one of the worst child abuse cases."
However, Ahn Eun-kyung claimed, "I only hit her a little because she didn't listen," echoing her father's past excuses. Bae In-hyuk noted, "Despite the painful memories, she's repeating the same actions," and Sunye pointed out, "Violence is learned." She was sentenced to 30 years for murder.
In a letter from prison, Ahn Eun-kyung wrote to an acquaintance, "I didn't want to live like my father, but I became just like him," "I wish it were all a dream," and "I must be a demon." Bae In-hyuk stated, "It's too late for regret. What she did to Saetbyeol is unforgivable," and Sunye lamented, "Curses beget curses, evil begets evil, and it's tragic that victims like Saetbyeol emerge from this unbreakable cycle."
The three hosts emphasized, "Most abuse victims strive to break the cycle, but often their efforts are all they have. There's a lack of systems to help. To prevent such tragedies from repeating, we must be vigilant for abused children around us, and provide avenues for adults to seek counseling for past abuse experiences to break the cycle."
Jung Se-yoon, TenAsia Reporter yoon@tenasia.co.kr