A shocking incident unfolded in South Korea on Monday as a teacher allegedly stabbed an eight-year-old student to death at an elementary school in Daejeon, local media reported.
The suspect, a woman in her 40s, reportedly confessed to the crime after police discovered both her and the child with stab wounds inside the school. According to Yonhap News Agency, the young girl was rushed to the hospital in an unconscious state but was later pronounced dead.
Authorities revealed that the teacher had injuries on her neck and arm, believed to be self-inflicted. Investigations also uncovered that she had previously taken a leave of absence due to depression and had only returned to work late last year.
The victim was at the school for an after-class childcare program before she was supposed to attend a private art class. When she failed to arrive, her parents reported her missing, prompting police to find both the teacher and the girl at around 6:00 pm.
Following the attack, the teacher was taken in for surgery, and police plan to resume questioning once she recovers.
Despite South Korea being considered one of the safest countries in the world—with a murder rate of just 1.3 per 100,000 people in 2021—recent years have seen a rise in violent crime incidents.
And in July 2023, a person was killed and three wounded in another stabbing in Seoul.
