News
South Korean teacher stabs 8-year-old student to death
The teacher sustained wounds to her neck and arm, which police say may be self-inflicted.
February 11, 2025, 03:01 PM
Warning: This article contains descriptions of possible self-harm. Discretion is advised.
A teacher stabbed an 8-year-old student to death before inflicting wounds on herself in an elementary school in Daejeon, a city just south of Seoul, South Korea.
The teacher, who's in her 40s, and the child were found with stab wounds around 6pm (5pm SGT) on Feb. 10 by police.
The girl later passed away at the hospital due to excessive bleeding.
The teacher sustained wounds to her neck and arm and is currently recovering at a hospital.
Officials said she may have inflicted the injuries on herself.
Girl reported missing from a private art class
The girl had been in school for an after-school class, before she would head to a private art class, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
The girl's parents reported her missing after she did not show up for the art class.
Police said the teacher later admitted to the crime during a subsequent investigation, Korean news agency Yonhap reported.
She reportedly has no known relationship with the child.
The police requested the National Forensic Service to perform an autopsy on the child's body to determine the exact cause of death.
They also plan to question the suspect on her motives and determine whether the crime was premeditated.
Showed signs of aggression four days before the incident
The police said on Feb. 11 that the teacher showed signs of aggression towards another teacher four days before the incident, where she twisted the latter's arm when asked if anything was wrong.
According to BBC, the suspect had requested a six-month leave of absence in December last year but was deemed fit to return to work just 20 days later.
She had not been teaching any classes since her leave in December.
Acting president Choi Sang-Mok expressed his condolences
South Korea's acting president Choi Sang Mok expressed his condolences over the child's death during a cabinet meeting on Feb. 11 and ordered an investigation into the case, according to Maeil Business Newspaper.
He also urged authorities to implement necessary measures to ensure such incidents never happen again.
Top image via Yonhap
