Korean Teacher Kills 7-Year-Old Student in School, Citing Anger Over Job Suspension

A portrait of Kim Ha-neul surrounded by white and yellow flowers at a funeral hall in Daejeon on Tuesday.

A teacher in Daejeon, South Korea, confessed to stabbing a 7-year-old girl to death at school after feeling angry about being barred from teaching, police revealed on Tuesday.

The suspect, who had no prior connection to the victim, lured the child into an audiovisual room under false pretenses, then strangled and fatally stabbed her. The teacher later attempted self-harm but survived.

Authorities discovered that the suspect had purchased a knife hours before the attack and had randomly targeted the last student leaving the classroom. The victim, identified as Kim Ha-neul, was waiting for her school shuttle when she was attacked.

Kim’s father became alarmed after hearing disturbing sounds through a mobile app linked to his daughter’s phone. Later, her grandmother discovered the teacher covered in blood, leading police to the scene.

The teacher had recently returned early from a medical leave for depression, despite being scheduled for six months off. Reports indicate she exhibited violent behavior just days before the attack.

Kim’s father, devastated by his daughter's gruesome death, has called for stricter policies on teachers with mental health issues to prevent such tragedies in the future.