Daejeon: The Supreme Court has confirmed a life sentence for a teacher convicted of murdering a 7-year-old student in Daejeon last year. The ruling was delivered on Thursday, affirming the punishment for Myeong Jae-wan, 49, who was found guilty of luring the young student, Kim Ha-neul, into a classroom and fatally stabbing her with a weapon she had premeditatedly brought.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the case involved other violent actions by Myeong, who was also found guilty of vandalizing school property and assaulting a fellow teacher days before the murder. Despite admitting to the crime, Myeong claimed mental impairment at the time of the incident, but the prosecution argued for the death penalty.

Both the district and appellate courts had previously sentenced Myeong to life imprisonment and imposed an additional requirement for her to wear an electronic tracking device for 30 years. The Supreme Court upheld these decisions, dismissing the argument of mental impairment due to the calculated nature of the crime and Myeong's subsequent attempts to conceal her actions.

The court emphasized that Myeong, as an elementary school teacher, held a position of responsibility to protect her students. The premeditated nature of the crime, the preparation of tools, and the cruel execution highlighted the severity of her actions. The court's decision reflects the gravity of the offense and the betrayal of trust inherent in the teacher's position.