"An Innocent 7-Year-Old..." Prosecutors Seek Death Penalty for Elementary Student Murderer Myung Jae-wan [Comprehensive]

[Financial News]   Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for teacher Myung Jae-wan (48), who was indicted for the murder of first-grader Kim Ha-neul (8) at an elementary school in Daejeon.
On the 22nd, during the trial of Mr. Myung held at the Daejeon District Court's 12th Criminal Division (Presiding Judge Kim Byung-man), prosecutors requested the death penalty for violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes (for profit abduction and enticement).
Prosecutors stated, "The parents and family of the victim child are hoping for severe punishment for the defendant with a heart filled with grief," and "He brutally murdered an innocent 7-year-old child, and although he has submitted dozens of letters of apology, there was no sign of remorse during the investigation stage," they revealed.
Mr. Myung was brought to trial on charges of luring Kim to an audiovisual room under the pretense of giving her a book and then stabbing her with a weapon he had prepared in advance, after she finished her after-school care class at an elementary school in Daejeon on February 10th around 5 PM.
He is also accused of breaking a school work computer with his foot 4-5 days before the crime and assaulting a fellow teacher who suggested "Let's leave work together."
Prosecutors explained that Mr. Myung committed an "abnormal motive crime" by brutally murdering a weaker elementary student to relieve his anger, which was amplified by family discord, regret over hasty reinstatement, and maladjustment at work.
They added that Mr. Myung suffered from abandonment anxiety and difficulty in emotional control, fearing he might be "abandoned."
It was investigated that Mr. Myung meticulously planned the crime by searching the internet for murder methods and purchasing a weapon in advance.
According to the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, if a minor under the age of 13 is abducted or enticed and murdered, the punishment is death or life imprisonment.
The Daejeon City Office of Education held a disciplinary committee in April and decided to dismiss Mr. Myung, and since he did not follow any separate appeal procedures, the dismissal was confirmed.
Since being brought to trial in April, Mr. Myung has submitted letters of apology to the court 86 times.


jjw@fnnews.com Jeong Ji-woo Reporter