An eight-year-old girl was tragically fatally stabbed by a teacher at an elementary school in South Korea, an incident that has deeply shocked the nation.
Police reported that the teacher, a woman in her 40s, admitted to stabbing the young student in the central city of Daejeon.
The girl was discovered with stab wounds on the second floor of the school building around 6:00 PM local time (9:00 AM GMT) on Monday. She was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
The teacher, found nearby with apparent self-inflicted stab wounds, was taken into custody by authorities.
South Korea’s acting president Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday ordered an investigation into the case and urged authorities to “implement necessary measures to ensure such incidents never happen again”.
Some locals laid flowers and a stuffed doll at the gate of the school, which was closed on Tuesday.
In a police briefing on Tuesday, Yook Jong-myung, the head of the Dajeon Western Police Station said the teacher was currently recovering in hospital, adding that she had a wound on her neck that had been stitched.
The Daejeon education office revealed that the teacher involved in the tragic stabbing had previously requested a six-month leave of absence due to depression on December 9 but returned to work just 20 days later after being deemed fit by a doctor.
During her leave, the teacher reportedly experienced suicidal thoughts, according to police testimony cited by an education office official, Mr. Yook.
Days before the fatal incident, the teacher had exhibited violent behavior, including placing a fellow teacher in a headlock. This prompted the education office to send two officials to the school on the morning of the attack to investigate the altercation.
Following the incident, the education office recommended that the teacher be placed on leave and physically separated from her colleague. She was relocated to sit near the vice principal’s desk under close supervision.
Since her initial leave in December, the teacher had not been teaching classes or interacting with the eight-year-old victim, officials stated.
According to police testimony, the teacher admitted to purchasing a weapon on the day of the attack and bringing it to the school. She disclosed her intention to take her own life along with a child’s, stating she “did not care which child it was.” The teacher targeted the last child to leave, luring the victim into the media room before the tragic attack.
The student was reported missing on Monday evening when a bus driver informed the school that she had not arrived for pick-up.
South Korea, known for its general safety and strict gun control laws, has faced several high-profile crimes, including stabbings, in recent years.
“It pains me to see such incidents because a school should be our safest space,” said acting president Choi. “I offer my deep condolences to the victim’s family who suffered great shock and agony.”