A court in South Korea has sentenced a 48-year-old teacher, Myeong Jae-wan, to life in prison for the murder of her eight-year-old student, Kim Hae-neul, a case that has stirred grief and anger across the country.
The Daejeon District Court delivered its verdict on Monday, ruling that Myeong’s crime showed a high risk of reoffending but did not warrant the death penalty sought by prosecutors. The court also ordered that Myeong wear an electronic tracking device for 30 years after release.
According to court documents, Myeong lured Kim into a classroom in the central city of Daejeon in February before fatally stabbing her. The young girl was found later that day inside the school after a bus driver alerted staff that she had not shown up for pickup.
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Police discovered Myeong with self-inflicted wounds on her neck at the scene. She later told investigators she had planned to kill herself along with a random child, revealing that she had bought the weapon on the morning of the attack.
The Daejeon education office said Myeong had requested a six-month medical leave citing depression but returned to work after just 20 days when a doctor cleared her for duty. In the days leading up to the stabbing, she reportedly displayed erratic and violent behaviour, including putting another teacher in a headlock.
During her trial, Myeong claimed her judgment had been impaired due to ongoing mental health treatment. “I will reflect on my mistakes for the rest of my life,” she said in her final statement to the court.
Prosecutors, however, said she showed no remorse during the investigation phase, arguing that her actions were deliberate and premeditated. They had sought the death penalty, citing the victim’s family’s appeal for the harshest punishment available.
In its ruling, the court condemned Myeong for betraying the trust placed in her as an educator. “As an elementary school teacher, the accused was in a position to protect the victim,” the verdict read. “But she committed a brutal crime in a place where children should be most safe.”
The case has reignited public debate in South Korea over mental health screening for teachers and the safety of school environments. Senior officials, including Education Minister Lee Ju-ho, have previously pledged to strengthen preventive measures following the tragedy.
Kim Hae-neul’s death sparked nationwide outrage earlier this year, with many South Koreans calling for stricter oversight of teachers with mental health concerns and improved student protection policies.
Although South Korea retains the death penalty in law, it has not carried out an execution since 1997. Life imprisonment remains the country’s toughest active punishment.