The Daejeon District Court on Monday convicted Myeong Jae-wan, 48, of murdering Kim Ha-neul inside an elementary school classroom in Daejeon on Feb.
The court also ordered Myeong to wear an electronic tracking device for 30 years.
According to the verdict, Myeong lured Kim into an audiovisual room around 5 p.m.
That day, after classes had ended, telling the girl she would give her a book.
She then stabbed the child to death with a knife she had prepared in advance.
“The pain and fear felt by the 7-year-old victim, who was killed in what should have been the safest place, and the grief of her family are beyond what the court can measure,” the judge said Monday.
“A heavy sentence that permanently isolates the defendant from society is inevitable.”.
In September, prosecutors had sought the death penalty, calling the crime exceptionally brutal.
They cited the victim’s parents’ plea for the harshest punishment and argued that Myeong had shown “no sign of remorse” throughout the investigation.
However, the court imposed a life sentence, saying, “While the risk of reoffending is high, it is difficult to conclude that the defendant must be executed.".
In her final statement, Myeong apologized to the victim’s family while citing her struggles with mental illness.
“I am deeply sorry that such a senseless act was committed by a teacher in a place that should be the safest,” she said.
The education impact will be felt most directly by students, parents and institutions if the development affects exam dates, admission timelines, eligibility rules or official counselling schedules.
For students and institutions, the most important follow-up is whether the update changes any official deadline, document requirement, result window, counselling schedule or examination process.
