"A Shocking Tragedy at What Should Be a Safe School... Utter Devastation"
City Office of Education Holds Emergency Meeting... Procedures for Teacher Leave and Reinstatement to Be Strengthened
On the morning of the 11th, at an elementary school in Seo-gu, Daejeon, where a first-grade female student was murdered, parents are mourning together with their young children for Kim Haneul. Photo by Yonhap News
Amid the recent incident where an 8-year-old child was fatally stabbed by a school teacher at an elementary school in Daejeon, parents who must send their children to school are left anxious and fearful.
On the afternoon of the 11th, Park, whom we met in Ilgok-dong, Buk-gu, Gwangju, said, "I was in pain watching the news."
Park, whose son is entering a nearby elementary school this year, shared, "I was excited to buy a backpack and school supplies with my child ahead of the new semester," adding, "School should be the safest place, but now I don't think I can send my child there with peace of mind." She continued, "There must be many dual-income parents like us. I feel completely devastated."
Voices expressing anxiety after hearing about the incident were easily found in local online parenting communities.
On one such community in Gwangju, parents shared posts about the incident, saying things like, "How could something so shocking happen at a safe school?" "I'm so upset, I can only cry," "As a fellow working parent, I'm at a loss and heartbroken," and "How will the bereaved parents go on?" expressing their fears and concerns.
On the morning of the 11th, letters, flowers, snacks, and dolls left by citizens were placed at an elementary school in Seo-gu, Daejeon, where a first-grade female student was murdered. Photo by Yonhap News
In response, Lee Jeongseon, Superintendent of Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, stated on Facebook, "School should be the safest place for students," and added, "A heartbreaking event has occurred. I deeply mourn this tragic death." Superintendent Lee continued, "The Gwangju Office of Education will conduct thorough safety inspections to ensure students can attend school with peace of mind as the new semester begins," and promised, "We will also carefully provide psychological and emotional support for all school members."
On the same day, the Gwangju Office of Education held an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures for school safety incidents.
The Office of Education plans to conduct safety inspections at schools ahead of the new semester. In particular, following this incident, they will require a diagnosis from medical professionals before teachers can take leave or return to work. The personnel department and the Eastern and Western Education Support Offices, which handle teacher leave and reinstatement, will closely review medical certificates regarding teachers' health and recovery status during the process of sick leave and reinstatement.
Additionally, the office will strengthen reinstatement procedures through the Education Officials’ Sick Leave Committee and the Teacher Illness Review Committee, and support stable school activities. They will also assess the detailed status of teachers on various types of leave and, for those on sick leave due to mental health issues, provide regular monitoring and emotional support programs even after their return.
The office will also thoroughly manage safety during after-school hours at Neulbom School, which could be a blind spot for safety. They will establish a safety management system by having staff, campus security, and police patrol vulnerable areas, and support safe commutes home for students through services like the 'Student Safety Notification' program as part of the 'Neulbom School Safety Management' initiative.
On the 11th, a funeral hall in Seo-gu, Daejeon, was prepared as the mourning place for Kim Haneul (8), the victim of the Daejeon elementary school murder case. Photo by Yonhap News
Meanwhile, the previous day, a tragic incident occurred at an elementary school in Seo-gu, Daejeon, where a teacher in her 40s fatally stabbed 8-year-old student Kim Haneul with a weapon. According to Daejeon police and fire authorities, around 6 p.m. that day, Kim and teacher A were found on the second floor of the school building in Gwanjeo-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, both with stab wounds. Police reported that teacher A, who had previously been on leave due to depression, returned to work in December last year and had recently exhibited violent behavior toward colleagues.
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