Daejeon: Prosecutors on Monday demanded the death penalty for a teacher accused of stabbing an 8-year-old student to death. Myeong Jae-wan, 48, is charged with brutally killing the girl, Kim Ha-neul, inside a classroom at their elementary school in the central city of Daejeon on February 10.
According to Yonhap News Agency, prosecutors sought the death penalty during Myeong's trial at the Daejeon District Court, citing the wishes of Kim's parents for a heavy punishment and the defendant's lack of remorse throughout the investigation. In her final statement, Myeong expressed deep apologies to the bereaved family, acknowledging the senselessness of her actions and attributing her weakened judgment to mental health issues. She vowed to reflect on her wrongdoing for the remainder of her life.
Prosecutors characterized the case as an "abnormal motive crime," suggesting that Myeong's actions stemmed from a desire to resolve personal anger over family troubles and work-related maladjustment by targeting someone weaker. A psychiatric evaluation requested by Myeong indicated she was experiencing mental and physical weakness during the incident. However, the prosecution challenged this assessment, noting her early return from leave last December after a doctor reported significant improvement in her depression symptoms.
The court has scheduled Myeong's sentencing hearing for October 20.