An appellate court has upheld the life sentence given to a man convicted of killing a mother and her two daughters.

The Seoul High Court on Wednesday announced the ruling for 26-year-old Kim Tae-hyun, saying life imprisonment must be executed without parole. 

In opting for a life sentence over the death penalty, the court explained that capital punishment has not been carried out for 25 years and the system has been practically abolished, meaning it has lost practical effect. 

Considering the fact that Kim could be considered for parole after 20 years according to the criminal code, the court said it should not be allowed and he should be isolated from society the rest of his life.

Kim befriended one of the victims online but when she refused to meet him, he stalked and then killed her, as well as her sister and mother, at their apartment in Seoul's Nowon district in March last year.