Daejeon Elementary School Murder Case, Trial Resumes in September

The trial of defendant Myung Jae-wan (48), who is accused of murdering 8-year-old Kim Ha-neul with a weapon at an elementary school in Daejeon, is scheduled to resume in September.

According to the legal community, the 12th Criminal Division of the Daejeon District Court (presided over by Judge Kim Byeong-man) has decided to reopen the first trial proceedings for Myung's charges related to violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes, including profitable abduction and inducement, starting from September 22.

The trial against Myung had been temporarily suspended since June for a psychiatric evaluation.

Prosecutors claimed that a psychiatric evaluation of Myung had already been conducted during the investigation, asserting that he was not in a state of mental disorder at the time of the crime and thus there was no need for further evaluation. However, the court accepted the defense's request for a psychiatric evaluation, stating, "This is the most serious case in terms of legal consequences, so careful consideration is necessary."

Results of the Psychiatric Evaluation and Trial Progress

Myung's attorney stated, "It's not that we are arguing for a reduced sentence due to mental incompetence," but emphasized the necessity of a psychiatric evaluation by mentioning that there have been precedents acknowledging that lack of judgment due to mental impairment can be a contributing factor even if the crime was planned and the tools were prepared in advance.

Following the completion of the psychiatric evaluation on Myung, it was decided to continue the trial.

The court is currently reviewing the necessity of a location tracking electronic device (ankle monitor) as requested by the prosecution based on the evaluation results. Myung has been re-incarcerated after undergoing evaluation at a designated institution rather than a treatment facility. Since being indicted, he has engaged a law firm and has consistently submitted reflection letters to the court, reportedly writing one every day except for a certain period. So far, a total of 69 reflection letters have been submitted.

Myung has been re-incarcerated after undergoing evaluation at a designated institution, rather than a treatment facility.

The court plans to conclude the trial proceedings as much as possible and issue a verdict at the upcoming hearing following the psychiatric evaluation.

Meanwhile, Myung was indicted for luring Kim into a storage room of the audiovisual room of an elementary school in Seo-gu, Daejeon, around 5 PM on February 10 and stabbing her multiple times with a weapon.

Prosecutors also identified that prior to the crime, Myung had kicked a computer in a school laboratory or applied excessive pressure to a colleague's neck, leading to additional charges.

Image source: Myung Jae-wan being transferred to the police station / News1, Elementary School Murder Teacher Myung Jae-wan / Daejeon Police Agency