No Abnormal Symptoms in Students and Teachers
Teacher Claims "Plain Water"
[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] It has been confirmed that a kindergarten teacher put an 'unidentified liquid' into meals and drinks, and the police are conducting an investigation.
According to the Geumcheon Police Station in Seoul on the 2nd, a kindergarten teacher in her 40s, identified as Ms. A, has been booked and is under investigation on charges of child abuse for recently spraying an unknown liquid on kindergarten meals.
Ms. A is suspected of putting the liquid twice into a meal container placed in the hallway of the kindergarten where she works during lunch on the 11th of last month. It is known that Ms. A had previously put the liquid into small plastic medicine bottles and kept them in her apron. Eleven children ate the food into which Ms. A put the liquid. It was also confirmed that Ms. A took out similar small medicine bottles and sprayed the liquid on meals and coffee cups intended for fellow teachers on two occasions last month.
Ms. A's actions were discovered by the kindergarten after suspicious incidents, such as a teacher's personal cup disappearing from the staff room, prompted a review of the closed-circuit television (CCTV). So far, it has been reported that neither the children nor the teachers have shown any abnormal symptoms. Ms. A reportedly told the kindergarten that "the liquid was plain water" and that she committed the act due to psychological distress. The Seoul Southern Office of Education has suspended Ms. A from her position. The kindergarten apologized to the parents, stating, "If the children's health was harmed, we will take full responsibility and provide treatment."
The police have sent eight of the problematic plastic medicine bottles to the National Forensic Service for component analysis and have seized one year’s worth of kindergarten CCTV footage. The police consider that even if the liquid put into the meals was plain water as claimed by Ms. Park, it still constitutes abuse under relevant laws.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
