Chungnam Superintendent of Education on Daejeon Elementary Student Death Case: "No End to Shock and Grief"

"Schools Must Be the Safest Places"
"We Will Fulfill Our Role to Prevent Such Tragedies from Reoccurring"

A shocking incident occurred at an elementary school in Daejeon where a teacher in their 40s killed an 8-year-old child with a weapon. Kim Ji-cheol, Superintendent of Education for Chungnam, expressed his condolences, saying, "I am overwhelmed with shock and sorrow."

On the 11th, Superintendent Kim posted on his Facebook, "Upon learning of the tragic event at an elementary school in Daejeon, I extend my deepest condolences along with the Chungnam education family," he said.

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 elementary school girl was murdered. Photo by Yonhap News

He stated, "The fact that a beloved eight-year-old life collapsed at school is devastating to all of us," adding, "The worries and anxieties of parents must be beyond words." He continued, "Schools must be the safest places. They should be places where parents can trust and entrust their children," emphasizing, "The Chungnam Office of Education regards this incident as a warning that must be deeply reflected upon in our educational environment."

Furthermore, he added, "We will review the safety net and fulfill the roles and responsibilities of the education office to ensure that such tragedies never happen again and that children can grow and learn safely," and "Once again, I extend my deepest condolences to the victimized student and their bereaved family."

According to Yonhap News and others, at around 5:30 p.m. the previous day, 8-year-old Kim Ha-neul and teacher A at an elementary school in Gwanjeo-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon, were found stabbed in the audiovisual room on the second floor of the school building. Emergency responders transported unconscious Kim to the hospital, but she ultimately passed away. Teacher A also attempted an extreme act after the crime and is currently receiving treatment in the hospital's intensive care unit. Police have identified that A had taken a leave of absence due to depression and other issues but returned to work at the end of last year.

Meanwhile, the police plan to review the disclosure of the suspect’s identity through a suspect identity disclosure review committee with the consent of the bereaved family. If the committee decides to disclose, the identity of suspect A will be made public.