The teacher accused of murdering Kim Ha-neul has been ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation by the court.

Myung Jae-wan (48), a teacher at an elementary school in Daejeon, is suspected of fatally stabbing Kim Ha-neul with a weapon. The court accepted the request for a psychological evaluation, considering the seriousness of the offense and the carefulness required in sentencing.

On the 30th of last month, the 12th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Kim Byung-man) announced that it has accepted the defendant's request for a psychological evaluation in the trial of Myung Jae-wan, who is indicted for violating the law on aggravated punishment for specific crimes (commercial kidnapping, etc.).

Myung Jae-wan's attorney stated, "The defendant assaulted a fellow teacher without any reason before killing Ha-neul," adding, "This is behavior that is uncharacteristic of the defendant, and we must consider that he is in a diminished mental state." The attorney requested a psychological evaluation to verify the impact of Myung Jae-wan's mental illness on his crime through expert judgment.

Court's Judgment and Prosecutor's Response

The prosecution argued that a psychological evaluation is unnecessary, pointing out that Myung Jae-wan carefully planned the crime by carefully selecting the method and location. However, the court determined, "This case is one where the most severe legal punishment is defined under the criminal law, and therefore requires careful sentencing consideration," and concluded that a psychological evaluation is warranted.

The court also explained, "Since the prosecutor's request for attachment is being processed in conjunction, it is necessary to examine the risk of re-offending closely."

According to the Specific Crimes Aggravated Punishment Act, the legal punishment for kidnapping or enticing a minor under 13 years old and murdering them is either 'death' or 'life imprisonment.'

Additionally, the court mentioned, "The results of the psychological evaluation do not belong to the court," adding, "We will collect sufficient data and take into account the opinions of both parties and the bereaved as much as possible."

Brutal Crime and Subsequent Actions

Meanwhile, Myung Jae-wan is accused of luring Kim Ha-neul, who was returning home after attending a care class, into an audiovisual room and stabbing her with a weapon he purchased himself on the afternoon of February 10.

The prosecution claims that Myung Jae-wan chose the audiovisual room as the crime scene because "it is well soundproofed."

The Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education held a disciplinary committee for Myung Jae-wan in April and decided to dismiss him.

While Myung Jae-wan did not file any appeals against the dismissal decision, he has reportedly submitted remorse letters a total of 50 times since the trial process began in March.

Image sources: Teacher Myung Jae-wan accused of murdering an elementary school student / Daejeon Police Agency, Channel A field footage, late Kim Ha-neul / News1