Bereaved family of victim seeking compensation against suspect, school and city
According to the Korean-language daily Herald Business, the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education confirmed Myeong's dismissal, the highest level of disciplinary action for government employees, at a disciplinary committee meeting on May 8. She purportedly did not challenge the decision.
Myeong is the suspect in the shocking murder of 7-year-old Kim Ha-neul at an elementary school in Daejeon on Feb. 10. She allegedly lured the victim to an empty classroom and stabbed her to death. Myeong then inflicted injuries on herself with an apparent intent to kill herself.
Despite her dismissal as a teacher, Myeong's career of 20-plus years makes her eligible to receive a retirement pension as stipulated by the Public Officials Pension Act. It states that dismissed public officials, which includes elementary school teachers, can have their pension cut by 50 percent, but only those convicted of crimes against the state are to have their entire pension revoked.
Myeong, under physical detention, is currently undergoing criminal trial, with her first hearing slated for 10 a.m. on May 26.
The victim's family has filed a civil suit seeking compensation worth 410 million won ($293,000) against Myeong, the school's principal and the metropolitan government of Daejeon. They held the parties responsible for failing to stop Myeong's crime, saying the principal in particular should have taken measures after the suspect exhibited erratic behaviors, such as assaulting a colleague.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
14 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Police launch 100-day nationwide crackdown on migrant worker abuse
South Korean police will launch a 100-day special crackdown on abuses against migrant workers, the Korean National Police Agency said Monday. Each of the nation's 18 regional police agencies has formed a special unit that will operate through Nov. 25 to investigate cases of violence, assault, confinement, coercion, humiliation, sexual abuse and labor exploitation targeting foreign workers. The initiative follows nationwide outrage over a video showing a Sri Lankan worker being strapped to a forklift and lifted off the ground. The incident occurred in February at a brick factory in Naju, South Jeolla Province, where the Sri Lankan, who had been working there for just three months, was allegedly harassed by a Korean forklift driver in his 50s after making mistakes on the job. The police units will identify cases by analyzing 112 emergency calls and gathering information from foreign worker support centers run by NGOs and multicultural organizations, and will launch investigations when necessary. The authorities will also establish a hotline with the Ministry of Employment and Labor to conduct joint on-site inspections, and plan to promptly notify the ministry of cases that fall under its jurisdiction, such as unpaid wages. On Sunday, Savitri Panabokke, Sri Lanka's ambassador to South Korea, visited Naju, where she called for stronger protection of migrant workers' rights and measures to prevent human rights abuses. "Although it is regrettable that such an incident occurred, the city has shown strong support and concern. The embassy will also seek to prevent a recurrence through labor education programs for our nationals," she said.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
South Korean found dead in Cambodian scam compound, signs of torture reported
The body of a South Korean man has been discovered in an alleged Cambodian scam compound, wrapped in blankets and plastic bags, his face swollen and bruised, indicating he may have been beaten to death. Cambodian police said the body was found Thursday in Kampot province, inside a large dumpster alongside another victim. South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed one of the dead as a Korean national surnamed Park. The ministry said it immediately requested a full investigation from Cambodian authorities and is providing consular support to Park's family, although officials noted that "confirming further details has been difficult." What happened to Park appears bound up in the shadowy world of cybercrime compounds. The site where his body was discovered is one of dozens of massive operations in Cambodia reportedly run by Chinese organized crime groups. These compounds, often sealed off and heavily guarded, are infamous for voice phishing and fraudulent investment scams. Park is believed to have been held inside before being killed by the gang. The description of his body paints a grim picture. Local investigators reported extensive bruising and bloodstains, with swelling that suggests he endured sustained violence. The brutality echoes accounts from survivors of these scam compounds. One 28-year-old South Korean man who recently escaped told South Korean media, 'Chinese gang members will kill someone easily if money is involved.' He described beatings, electric shock and waterboarding as routine. Amnesty International estimates that more than 50 such scam compounds operate across Cambodia. Rights groups and local media alike describe them as places where national law enforcement has little reach, functioning almost as self-contained criminal enclaves. Local reports suspect that an unspecified number of South Koreans may be trapped inside these compounds, deceived by job postings advertising 'high-paying overseas employment' only to find themselves trafficked into forced labor once they have arrived. Data obtained by the office of Rep. Kim Geon from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shows that the number of South Koreans reported kidnapped or detained in Cambodia rose from 21 in 2023 to 221 in 2024. In the first half of 2025 alone, officials estimate 212 cases, suggesting this year's total could reach double last year's figure. Despite the scale of the crisis, South Korea has struggled to intervene. Officials acknowledge that Cambodian scam compounds often operate beyond effective state control and that Seoul lacks investigative authority on the ground. At present only one South Korean police officer is stationed at the embassy in Phnom Penh. Victims who contact the embassy are advised to report directly to Cambodian police, as the embassy cannot carry out rescue missions or investigations on its own.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
25 cases of drunk emergency patients hindering rescue operations through July this year
A total of 25 cases of drunk citizens in need of immediate medical help but disturbing rescue operations occurred from January to July of this year, government data shows. Of those, 24 cases involved verbal or physical violence against the rescue workers. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, of the cases, 19 have been transferred to the prosecution for potential indictment. On average, such cases occurred 90 times annually between 2022 and 2024. Interfering with rescue operations and emergency services without just cause violates the law. The Act on 119 Rescue and Emergency Medical Services says in Article 28 that such actions are punishable by up to five years in prison or a 50 million won ($36,000) fine. In March, fire authorities in North Jeolla Province said two men were sentenced to suspended jail terms for their violence against rescue officials. One of the men, in his 50s, was taken to an emergency room in the province and assaulted a rescue worker because he got upset while waiting to be treated. minsikyoon@
