'Debt triggers family suicide'
/ Yonhap
By Lee Ji-hye
A family that committed suicide because of “living hardships” had considerable assets ― and debts, police say.
The family of three was found dead in an apartment on October 30 in southern Incheon, along with a will written by the mother, 45, and her daughter, 12.
Almost a week later, Incheon Nambu police said the family owned 15 apartments, each with a 900 million won ($830,000) mortgage. Eleven belonged to the husband, 51, and four to the woman.
After they started buying real estate, “the economy started going down and the debt was becoming overwhelming for the family," a police officer told Yonhap News Agency.
"We see this as a possible reason for choosing death, but an investigation…is expected to take about a month."
The five-page will was written on a notepad by the mother and daughter, expressing the “family's financial difficulties leading to mental pressure,” police said.
Police confirmed that the mother had quit her job a month before the family was found dead, and the father had earned 2.1 million won a month.
The will also stated that the loans were expected to expire on November 10.