South Korea's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a life sentence for Myeong Jae-wan, a teacher convicted of killing a 7-year-old student at a school in Daejeon last year. The court rejected her claim of mental impairment, citing the premeditated nature of the crime. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty, but the ruling also confirmed a 30-year electronic monitoring order.
The Supreme Court on April 2 confirmed the life sentence for Myeong Jae-wan, 49, who was convicted of luring student Kim Ha-neul, then 7, to a classroom at their school in Daejeon on Feb. 10 last year and stabbing her with a weapon prepared in advance.
"The accused cannot be considered to have been in a mentally impaired state at the time of the crime, given that she carried out the crime according to a prepared plan and later tried to cover it up, and the detailed statements she gave on the crime process," the court said. It added that as an elementary school teacher in a position to protect the victim, she killed the 7-year-old at school using a cruel and vicious method.
Myeong also was convicted of kicking and damaging a school computer and assaulting another teacher several days before the murder. She admitted to the crime during the trial but claimed mental impairment, while prosecutors sought the death penalty. Both district and appellate courts had imposed life imprisonment and a 30-year electronic tracking device order.
Myeong was dismissed by the Daejeon education office last April.
