Daegu Elementary School Murder Case: Victims' Family Files 400 Million Won Lawsuit
In a shocking incident at an elementary school in Daegu, the family of victim Kim Ha-nul has filed a lawsuit for damages amounting to over 400 million won against the perpetrator Myung Jae-wan, the school principal, and the city of Daegu.
The victims' family stated that they have submitted a lawsuit for damages to the Daejeon District Court against Myung, the school principal who holds managerial responsibility, and the city of Daegu as the employer. The plaintiffs are demanding that the defendants pay over 410 million won to the parents and younger sibling of Ha-nul.
Kim Sang-nam, the legal representative of the family from the law firm YK, said, "The family continues to suffer extreme pain due to Myung Jae-wan's act of murder," and claimed, "Not only does Myung have an obligation to compensate, but the school principal and the city of Daegu, as the employer, also bear responsibility for failing to prevent the incident."
He continued, "The school principal, responsible for managing and overseeing teacher Myung, has accountability for the occurrence of the incident since there were signs of abnormal behavior, such as Myung assaulting fellow teachers, and no appropriate personnel actions were taken," and added, "The city of Daegu, as the local government responsible for establishing and operating the public elementary school, has a shared responsibility to compensate for the damages caused by teacher Myung's violations."
Previously, teacher Myung was charged with the murder of Kim Ha-nul, whom he allegedly lured to the audiovisual room with a weapon he had purchased himself after she finished her after-school class on February 10.
Since this incident, criticisms regarding the education authorities’ complacent response and inadequate systems have continued. During a full session held by the National Assembly's Education Committee in February, they questioned the education authorities on why Myung was not isolated from the educational setting, stating that "Kim Ha-nul's death is a man-made disaster."
Image source: Teacher who killed Ha-nul, Myung Jae-wan / Daejeon Police Agency, Audiovisual Room / News1
