Myung Jae-wan and Daejeon City's judgment on compensation for the murder of the disciple was confirmed

[26.07.14] Verdict Finalized: Murderer Myeong Jae-wan and Daejeon City Ordered to Compensate Victim's Family

The civil liability for damages has been finalized for Myeong Jae-wan, a murderer serving a life sentence for killing his student, and Daejeon City, which failed to prevent the crime.

1. Liability for Damages Finalized

According to legal sources on the 14th, the first-instance judgment in the damages suit filed by the family of the late victim against the perpetrator Myeong Jae-wan, Daejeon City, and the school principal has been finalized. As neither the defendants nor the plaintiffs appealed within the deadline, the initial ruling stands.

The core of this ruling is that the court recognized the joint liability for damages of Myeong and Daejeon City, ordering them to pay 109 million KRW each to the victim's parents and 18 million KRW to the victim's sibling.

Although Myeong is currently serving a life sentence, the court clearly established that his illegal acts must be compensated financially. The victim's family has demanded strict punishment and accountability throughout the litigation, and this ruling confirms that he must bear economic responsibility for his crimes.

The court recognized the joint liability of Myeong Jae-wan and Daejeon City, ordering them to pay 109 million KRW to each parent and 18 million KRW to the sibling.

2. Abuse of Position as a Teacher

The court viewed Myeong's crime as going beyond a personal aberration; it was a total violation of his official duty as a teacher. The fact that the crime occurred during working hours on school premises means Myeong used his position as a tool for his crime.

In particular, Myeong lured the victim into the audiovisual room under the false pretense of "giving her a book," cruelly abusing the trust between teacher and student. The court determined that because Myeong used his position as a teacher, Daejeon City, as his employer, could not evade supervisory responsibility.

Ultimately, Myeong's shameful conduct not only destroyed the safety of the educational environment but also shifted significant legal and financial responsibility to the local government.

Because Myeong Jae-wan directly abused his position as a teacher for his crime, the supervisory responsibility of Daejeon City was recognized.

3. Exoneration of School Principal vs. Myeong's Liability

Conversely, the claim for damages against the school principal was dismissed. The court considered the principal's efforts to prevent the incident, such as counseling Myeong, recommending a leave of absence, and consulting professional agencies. In other words, rather than administrative negligence, Myeong's criminal intent was recognized as being absolute.

This is interpreted as the court acknowledging that it was impossible for the school administration to completely control the situation given how meticulously Myeong planned his crime. Myeong even exploited the school principal's normal guidance as an opportunity for his crime.

Therefore, Myeong Jae-wan's responsibility is all the more prominent. Having committed a brutal murder despite the principal's preventive efforts, Myeong cannot escape civil liability.

Despite the school principal's preventive efforts, the malice of Myeong's crime was so evident that his responsibility is aggravated.

4. Life Imprisonment Confirmed

Myeong Jae-wan was arrested and indicted after luring an elementary student into an audiovisual room and murdering her in February of last year. This heinous crime shocked the nation, and the Supreme Court confirmed a life sentence for Myeong last April.

Although Myeong is currently incarcerated in isolation, the lives of the victim's family, destroyed by his crime, have yet to recover. The decision by the police to release Myeong's personal information via the Shinhang Disclosure Committee highlights the anti-human nature of his crime.

With both the criminal life sentence and now this civil damages judgment finalized, Myeong has received the heaviest legal judgment possible.

Already serving a life sentence, Myeong Jae-wan has now been held finally and economically accountable for his crimes through this civil judgment.

Category	Details
Case Result	Partial Plaintiff Win (Liability Finalized)
Defendants	Myeong Jae-wan, Daejeon City
Damages	Parents: 109 million KRW each, Sibling: 18 million KRW
Principal Liability	Dismissed (Prevention efforts recognized)
Criminal Verdict	Life Imprisonment (Supreme Court)

[🔍 Key Summary of Judgment]

• Finalization: The first-instance ruling recognizing the liability of Myeong Jae-wan and Daejeon City has been finalized as neither party appealed.
• Compensation: The court recognized the joint liability of Myeong and Daejeon City, ordering payments of 109 million KRW to each parent and 18 million KRW to the sibling.
• State Compensation: Daejeon City's supervisory responsibility recognized as Myeong used his teacher position for the crime.
• Principal Exonerated: Exonerated as it was difficult for the principal to completely preempt Myeong's criminal intent.
• Perpetrator Status: Myeong is currently serving a life sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court.