Korean court sends 17-year-old who stabbed teacher to juvenile division
In short
A court in Nonsan, South Korea, decided on Oct. 7 to send a 17-year-old high school student to a juvenile division instead of punishing him criminally for stabbing a teacher in April. The Daejeon District Court's Nonsan branch cited his age, five months of detention and remorse, mental health problems before the attack, and his self-report to police. The court said the victim, a teacher in his 30s, had asked for a ruling that would let the student grow into a normal adolescent through treatment and education.
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A court in South Korea decided on Oct. 7 to send a 17-year-old high school student to a juvenile division rather than punish him criminally for stabbing a teacher. The Nonsan branch of the Daejeon District Court's Criminal Division 1, presided over by Judge Oh Myung-hee, sent the student, identified only as A, to the juvenile division of the Daejeon Family Court on a charge of attempted murder, Yonhap and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
The court cited A's age, his remorse during five months of detention, mental health problems he suffered before the offence and the fact that he reported himself to police, saying he had no previous criminal punishment or juvenile protection record. “The defendant is a juvenile of only 17 years of age and has been repenting his wrongdoing during five months of detention,” the court said, according to both reports, adding that his mental problems appeared to have affected the offence. [ 2 , 4 ]
The court also noted the victim's position. “The victim is asking for a ruling that would allow A to grow into a normal adolescent through appropriate treatment and education,” it said. Newsis's headline likewise framed the outcome around the victim teacher's plea for leniency. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
According to the investigation, A stabbed B, a male teacher in his 30s, multiple times at about 08:44 on April 13 at a high school in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong. Investigators found that A believed B had singled him out for harsher criticism or scolding when he was a middle school student. After B transferred to the high school and taught A again, A refused to attend and, from a week before the attack, had been going to an alternative school in another area. A planned the attack in advance and brought the weapon to the school in his bag, the investigation found. [ 2 , 4 ]
Education authorities said B had been the student affairs head in charge of discipline when A was a middle school student, and that he transferred to the high school and began work there on March 1. [ 4 ]
At the closing hearing on Sept. 2, prosecutors asked for a long term of four years and a short term of two years and six months, saying the offence of stabbing a teacher with a weapon was not light. A admitted all charges from the first hearing and said in his final statement that he had caused the teacher pain through his wrong actions. [ 2 ]
Under the Juvenile Act, a court that hears a case involving an offender under 19 may send it to a juvenile division when it finds protective measures are needed to correct the person's behaviour. After juvenile division proceedings, dispositions range from supervised custody to long-term detention in a juvenile reformatory, numbered 1 to 10. The documents do not say which disposition was ordered. [ 2 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The ruling shows how South Korea's juvenile system can divert offenders under 19 from criminal punishment to protective measures, a range from supervised custody to long-term juvenile reformatory detention. The case also drew attention locally because the stabbed teacher asked the court for leniency rather than punishment. The documents do not say which specific protective measure the juvenile division will order.
Key facts
- The Nonsan branch of the Daejeon District Court ruled on Oct. 7 to send a 17-year-old student, identified only as A, to the juvenile division of the Daejeon Family Court on a charge of attempted murder. [ 2 , 4 ]
- A was accused of stabbing a male teacher in his 30s multiple times at a high school in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong, at about 08:44 on April 13. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Investigators found that A believed the teacher had singled him out for harsher criticism or scolding during middle school. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The court cited A's age, his remorse during five months of detention, mental health problems before the offence and his self-report to police. [ 2 , 4 ]
- The court said the victim asked for a ruling that would let A grow into a normal adolescent through appropriate treatment and education. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Prosecutors at the closing hearing sought a long term of four years and a short term of two years and six months. [ 2 ]
- Under the Juvenile Act, a case sent to a juvenile division can result in protective measures numbered 1 to 10, from supervised custody to long-term juvenile reformatory detention. [ 2 , 4 ]
- Newsis's headline and Kyunghyang Shinmun's article said the stabbing took place in the school's principal's office. [ 1 , 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A court decided on Oct. 7 to send a 17-year-old high school student to a juvenile division instead of criminally punishing him for stabbing a teacher. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The student held a grievance against the teacher dating from middle school. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The victim teacher asked for leniency, according to the court's reasoning and to Newsis's headline. [ 1 , 2 , 4 ]
- The attack took place at a high school in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong. [ 2 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- What specific protective measure the juvenile division will order for A. The documents explain that dispositions range from No. 1 supervised custody to No. 10 long-term juvenile reformatory detention, but do not say what was ordered or when the juvenile division will decide.
- The teacher's injuries and current condition. The documents say he was stabbed multiple times and injured, but give no detail on the extent of his injuries or his recovery.
- Where exactly inside the school the attack happened. Newsis's headline and Kyunghyang Shinmun's article say the principal's office, while Yonhap says only that it happened at the high school; the documents do not resolve the wording.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- April 13: A stabs a teacher in his 30s multiple times at a high school in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong, according to investigators. [ 2 , 4 ]
- March 1: The teacher, B, transfers to the high school where A was enrolled, education authorities said. [ 4 ]
- One week before the attack: A, who had refused to attend the high school, had been going to an alternative school in another area, investigators said. [ 2 ]
- Sept. 2: At the closing hearing, prosecutors seek a long term of four years and a short term of two years and six months. [ 2 ]
- Oct. 7: Newsis publishes its report, headlined around the principal's office stabbing and the victim teacher's plea for leniency. [ 1 ]
- Oct. 7: Yonhap reports that the Nonsan branch of the Daejeon District Court sent A to the juvenile division of the Daejeon Family Court. [ 2 ]
- Oct. 7: Seoul Shinmun reports the court chose protection instead of criminal punishment for the student. [ 3 ]
- Oct. 7: Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the same decision with the court's reasoning. [ 4 ]