A teacher in Daejeon has admitted to stabbing a seven-year-old girl who was found critically wounded during an afterschool care programme on Monday, Al Jazeera reports.
The shocking incident has gripped South Korea, prompting widespread condemnation and a high-level response from the government.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok offered condolences during a cabinet meeting and ordered the Ministry of Education and authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s death.
Police in Daejeon’s western district confirmed that the female teacher, reported to be in her 40s, is currently receiving treatment for self-inflicted wounds at a hospital. While she has admitted to the stabbing, she has not yet been formally arrested as the investigation remains ongoing.
According to police chief Yuk Jong-myeong, the teacher told investigators that she had recently returned to work following a period of leave for health reasons. He also stated that she had been receiving treatment for depression since 2018.
The victim was a student at the same elementary school where the teacher worked. However, police have stated that they have not yet established a relationship between the teacher and the young girl.
The girl was discovered by her grandmother, an official at the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education revealed during a media briefing. She was found with stab wounds to her neck and face and later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
