Teacher Stabs Korean First Grader to Death

Photo credits: The Times

Author’s note:

When do mental health issues begin to hurt not just ourselves, but also those around us? Ignoring the potential negative effects on others, many people suffering from mental health issues choose not to make consistent efforts toward healing from mental health conditions. This can be exacerbated by the stigma around mental health in certain countries such as South Korea. The dire consequences of neglected mental health and instability were demonstrated by the murder of the Korean first grader Kim Haneul. Haneul was stabbed to death by her teacher, who was suffering from severe mental health problems, highlighting the dangerous impacts of ignoring instability.

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When she did not attend her art academy after school, her parents knew something was wrong. A strange, eerie feeling engrossed them. Their daughter never misbehaved and was generally highly responsible. This incident could not have simply been the result of irresponsibility or incompetence. Something had happened to their daughter.

Their worst suspicions were confirmed quickly when they received the unexpected, incredibly shocking news that their daughter had been stabbed to death at her school just hours earlier. The entire nation shared the parents’ shock as they wondered how such a tragic, violent event could have occurred at an elementary school.

This scenario was the result of the murder of Kim Haneul, a 7-year-old girl in South Korea, who was killed by her teacher during an after-school program. Allegedly, a teacher lured Haneul into a multimedia room at her school under the pretense of giving her a book. There, the teacher strangled and stabbed Haneul multiple times, ending her life.

Authorities discovered Haneul, with multiple stab wounds, and her teacher, with numerous self-inflicted wounds, in the multimedia room shortly after. Police reports explained that her teacher had purchased a knife from a nearby store during school hours on the day of the murder.

The country quickly fell into mourning at the shocking and dire circumstances of this event. Haneul’s father stated, “There should be a strong punishment. This is why we eventually agreed to a suggestion to conduct an autopsy on her body. What fears and worries me most now is the possibility that the suspect may end up receiving a lenient penalty because (of her claim that) she was mentally unstable at the time.”

Politicians, too, expressed regret. Representative Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party stated, “I offer my deep condolences after the tragic death of Kim Haneul. I still can’t believe how such a thing could happen. We consider this incident to be a serious threat to the lives and safety of our children, who are our future.”

The teacher was known to have been suffering from mental health issues that were largely unaddressed, both by the teacher and the school authorities. She later stated that she had chosen Haneul as her victim at random, expressing that she was frustrated after being excluded from teaching duties upon her return to work.

This teacher had left work for a six-month leave in December as a result of her depression. However, upon being assessed by a doctor, who deemed her fit to work, she returned just twenty days later. According to testimony that she provided to police, this teacher had experienced suicidal thoughts during her leave. Just days before the stabbing, the teacher had displayed notably violent behavior, namely putting another teacher in a headlock, leading to her being forced to sit beside the vice principal’s desk to be kept under close watch.

For these reasons, she had not been teaching since her return. Thus, these mental health conditions and the lack of sufficient professional treatment and attention she received were likely the root behind her violent actions. The only precautionary measures taken by the school were keeping the teacher away from students and keeping a close eye on her, but in hindsight, these measures likely worsened the depressive feelings the teacher was feeling, as this increased her alienation from others. Perhaps a more reasonable course of action would have been mandating professional mental help as well as a leave from school.

Ultimately, this case made clear the dire consequences of neglected mental health conditions, not just to those suffering from declining mental health, but also to those around them. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that mental health has never been and will never be an excuse for violent actions.

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Jurisview Journal is a student-led blog that publishes biweekly articles about interesting criminal cases. Our aim is to shed light on cases that require justice or further exploration and provide input on controversial legal events. We also publish infographics to help victims or those who wish to educate themselves on legal issues. 

Works Cited

Ewe, Koh. “Teacher fatally stabs eight-year-old in South Korea.” BBC, 12 February 2025, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gwjy18v4go. Accessed 22 March 2025.

Jung, Min-ho. “Father calls for stern punishment against killer of his 7-year-old daughter.” The Korea Times, 12 February 2025, https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/03/113_392110.html. Accessed 22 March 2025.

Kundu, Banhisha. “What happened to Kim Ha-neul? Everything we know as IVE sends flower to 8-year-old Daejeon school murder victim.” Sportskeeda, 12 February 2025, https://www.sportskeeda.com/us/k-pop/what-happened-kim-ha-neul-everything-know-ive-sends-flower-8-year-old-daejeon-school-murder-victim. Accessed 22 March 2025.