Crystal Dike
A South Korean court on Monday, October 20, 2025, sentenced a teacher, Myeong Jae-wan, to life imprisonment for fatally stabbing an eight-year-old girl in a school classroom — a ruling that the judges said reflected the “brutality” of the crime and the betrayal of her duty to protect children.
Myeong, 48, was found guilty of killing Kim Hae-neul after luring her into a classroom in the central city of Daejeon in February 2025.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, citing the victim’s family’s demand for the harshest punishment. However, the court ruled that while “the risk of reoffending is high, it is difficult to conclude” that Myeong must be executed.
Myeong told the court she would “reflect on her mistakes for the rest of her life,” adding that her judgment had been weakened as she was receiving mental health treatment at the time.
Prosecutors said she showed no remorse during the investigation, though she later submitted dozens of apology letters to the court.
According to the Daejeon education office, Myeong had requested a six-month medical leave citing depression but returned to work after 20 days when a doctor deemed her fit. Officials said she had displayed violent behaviour in the days before the incident, including putting another teacher in a headlock.
On the morning of the attack, two education officials were at the school to investigate that earlier altercation. Myeong told police she had bought a knife on the day of the attack, intending to kill herself and a random child. She lured Kim into the school’s media room before stabbing her.
Kim was reported missing after a bus driver noticed she had not arrived for pickup. She was later found dead inside the school, alongside Myeong, who had a neck wound believed to be self-inflicted.
Following the incident, South Korean leaders called for tighter safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
In addition to the life sentence, the court ordered Myeong to wear an electronic location-tracking device for 30 years.
“As an elementary school teacher, the accused was in a position to protect the victim,” the court said in its ruling. “But she committed a brutal crime in a place where a child should have been safest.”