Daejeon: A court of appeals has upheld a life imprisonment sentence for a teacher accused of murdering a 7-year-old student at a school in Daejeon about a year ago. The Daejeon High Court confirmed the ruling against the teacher, Myeong Jae-wan, 49, after finding her guilty of stabbing the young girl, Kim Ha-neul, to death.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Myeong was indicted for luring the student to a classroom on the afternoon of February 10, 2025. The incident occurred as Kim Ha-neul was leaving an afterschool care program. Myeong offered the girl a book to coax her into the classroom, where she then stabbed her with a weapon she had prepared in advance. In addition to the murder charge, Myeong faced accusations of kicking and damaging a school computer and assaulting another teacher several days before the murder.

The appellate court also upheld the lower court's order for Myeong to wear an electronic tracking device for 30 years, reinforcing the severity of the crime and the necessity for continued monitoring.