The police on Monday arrested a teenager on allegations that he strangled his father to death and stabbed his mother.

The Daegu Dalseo Police Station said an 18-year-old had been arrested at the scene on Monday and will be charged in the death of his father and the alleged attack on his mother.

Police allege that the boy stabbed his father once in the neck and then strangled him to death around midnight before stabbing his mother in the stomach six times.

The police say they arrived on the scene in response to a call from the accused teenager’s younger sister. After arresting the suspect, they say they seized two knives they believe were used in the attack.

The accused boy has admitted to the crimes, police said, but has not stated a motive. The police plan to request an arrest warrant on charges of parricide, once their investigation and an autopsy of the father’s body are complete.

Crimes committed against parents by their children are on the rise in Korea, including parricide.

The number of parricides reached 266 during the 2012-2017 period.

Calls have been growing for the revision of the Criminal Act to update penalties for crimes committed by relatives. Currently, the act stipulates heavier punishments for crimes committed against parents and grandparents. However, it also contains a clause that allows victims to shield perpetrators from punishment.

In 2015, there was an attempt to revise the Criminal Act and remove the clause. However, the amendment failed to pass due to disagreements among lawmakers.

By Choi Ji-won (jwchoikr@heraldcorp.com)