On the 10th, it was confirmed that teacher A (48), who killed 8-year-old Kim Ha-neul at an elementary school in Daejeon, took approximately 200 days of sick leave and leave of absence over four occasions, citing depression, leading to controversy over whether A's actions stemmed from depression.
ChosunBiz asked experts, including criminal psychology specialists and psychiatrists, for psychiatric opinions on A's actions and their correlation. Experts noted that A's actions are likely not spontaneous but rather a planned crime, and that it cannot be accepted that there was diminished mental capacity related to psychiatric disorders such as depression or schizophrenia. Bae Sang-hoon, a professor at Woosuk University’s Department of Police Administration and former crime psychology analyst at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Lee Soo-jung, a professor at Kyonggi University’s Department of Criminal Correction Psychology, Kim Dong-wook, president of the Korean Society of Mental Health and head of Garam Mental Health Clinic, Lee Heon-jung, a professor at Korea University Anam Hospital’s Department of Mental Health, and a psychiatrist from a university hospital who requested anonymity provided comments.
Experts noted, "Based on media reports up to now, there are limitations as they have not examined A directly or participated in the investigation of the case."
① Depression is unlikely to be the cause of the crime
Lee Heon-jung, a professor at Korea University Anam Hospital’s Department of Mental Health, stated, "It is difficult for such aggressive tendencies to emerge from depression." Kim Dong-wook, the president of the Korean Society of Mental Health and head of Garam Mental Health Clinic, also remarked, "It is difficult to see depression as the cause," explaining that "people with depression or schizophrenia exhibit aggression for self-defense, but this crime does not fall under that category."
Kim noted, "Even if A was undergoing treatment for depression and committed such actions, it is difficult to find a causal relationship (with depression)," adding, "Even if A has schizophrenia, there may be violent tendencies driven by delusions to protect oneself, but it is rare for such tendencies to attack others."
Lee Soo-jung, a professor at Kyonggi University’s Department of Criminal Correction Psychology, commented, "Based on the information reported in the media so far, it is highly likely that A was not just suffering from simple depression." He added, "Currently, there is no way to confirm whether it’s simple schizophrenia or if there were underlying personality disorders, but such actions cannot be committed under simple schizophrenia alone."
② It is not an accidental crime… Diminished responsibility is not recognized
Professors analyzing criminal behavior and psychology argue that A’s actions are a typical example of planned crime. According to reports, the perpetrator purchased a weapon at a supermarket approximately 2 km from the school during lunchtime on the day of the crime, the 10th.
Lee Soo-jung stated, "The series of actions taken by A, from driving to buy the weapon to committing the crime, were conducted very proactively and deliberately," adding that, "Considering the process of targeting any victim without concern, it is difficult to view this as a mental disorder or accidental action by a person with mental illness."
Professor Bae Sang-hoon remarked, "This crime appears to be a type of 'authority murder' where the perpetrator selects a target weaker and more accessible to express their dissatisfaction," indicating that the process of selecting the target was planned.
On the morning of the 10th, the Daejeon City Education Office sent an inspector to the elementary school to conduct an on-site investigation and recommended that the school separate A from the students, but the measures were not implemented. That afternoon at around 4:30 p.m., A lured Kim, who had just finished a care class and was leaving alone, into an audiovisual room on the same floor and killed her.
Professor Bae stated, "A seems to have made a delusional determination and selected the weakest child as a target thinking the inspector would take her lesson away," and expressed that it is difficult to see the perpetrator as having psychopathic tendencies.
Lee Soo-jung stated, "Regardless of A's diagnosis, this crime was a planned act unrelated to any mental illness," asserting that "the actions committed by A do not constitute any grounds for diminished responsibility."
③ Depression should not carry a stigma
Medical experts emphasized that this incident should not lead to negative stigmatization of individuals with depression. Kim Dong-wook, president of the Korean Society of Mental Health, stated, "It is hard to see depression as the cause of this person's criminal behavior," emphasizing that "it raises doubts about whether individuals with depression also harbor such violent tendencies and that an ambiguous perception of 'might individuals with depression show violent tendencies?' should not arise."
A professor from a university hospital who requested anonymity pointed out, "In the current situation where the investigation is not yet complete, caution is needed in seeking the cause of the crime in depression," stating that such an approach severely hinders the treatment of individuals with depression.
Na Jong-ho, an assistant professor of psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine, pointed out in a post on his social media stating, "Depression is not a crime," adding that, "While the perpetrator must face appropriate consequences, it is inappropriate for the media to rush to mention the history of leave due to depression in a situation where nothing has been clarified."
He stated, "The crime lies with the perpetrator, not with depression," and warned that, "If reporting emphasizes depression, it will reinforce the stigma against it, preventing those who truly need help from receiving treatment and worsening the mental health crisis in Korea," noting that, "The treatment rate for depression in Korea remains just 10%, meaning only 1 in 10 receives proper treatment."