"Just Messing Around" Apology Post on Perpetrator Student's SNS... 'Ilsan Middle School Student School Violence Suspicion Video' Spreads Widely

A video showing several students assaulting a male student in front of a building parking lot in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province./Photo by Social Networking Service (SNS)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Controversy surrounding a suspected school violence (hakpok) video filmed in Ilsan, Goyang City, Gyeonggi Province is spreading rapidly. A petition demanding a thorough investigation of the video was posted on the Blue House's national petition board, and an apology statement on social media (SNS) from a female student presumed to be the perpetrator has also been circulating online.

A Blue House public petition urging a thorough investigation into a suspected school violence video filmed in Ilsan, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Blue House bulletin board

On the 14th, a petition titled "Group bullying that knocked out a middle school student and touched private parts" appeared on the Blue House national petition board.

The petitioner, who identified themselves as a parent of a middle school student, said, "Although it clearly appears to be school violence, if the victim, fearing retaliation, says it was a joke and the matter is dismissed, students who are actually assaulted or sexually harassed will be less likely to speak out," and appealed, "Please consider what the real harm is for the sake of the children's future."

The petition had garnered over 50,000 signatures by the 15th but is currently set to private due to review of petition requirements and other reasons.

The controversial video was circulated on the 13th through an open chat room, showing three male students and two female students bullying a peer male student in front of a building in Ilsan.

The video showed the victim being choked by a larger male student, and a female student approaching the victim and sexually harassing him by touching his genitals.

According to the Ilsan Dongbu Police Station, which has jurisdiction, police officers who responded to a report from the video’s filmer found that the victim, identified as student A, stated that it was "just playing around with friends," and A’s parents did not express a desire for punishment, so the case was not transferred to the investigative department. The police explained that they were in the process of contacting A’s parents to proceed with the case registration, but the video spread during that time, escalating the controversy.

On the 15th, the police summoned student A for victim questioning and announced plans to summon two others for investigation: male student B, who choked A, and female student C, who touched A’s private parts. B and C were confirmed to be seniors of A.

An apology letter from the person who identified herself as the female student perpetrator in the suspected school violence video in Ilsan. / Photo by Facebook capture

Meanwhile, an apology statement presumed to be from student C spread online on the same day. The author of the apology said, "We were playing a fainting game, and I touched his genitals once as a joke and then withdrew my hand," and added, "I am sorry to the victim and apologize to those disappointed in me."

The author also revealed that on the 13th, there was a dispute when student A was smoking in front of their house, and that another assault occurred during this incident. They explained, "I confronted A for smoking in front of my house, asking why he was smoking there. A apologized, and at that time, nothing serious happened."

However, the author admitted that later, after hearing sexual rumors about themselves from A, they got angry and burned A’s skin with a cigarette and slapped him.

Regarding the situation in the controversial video, the author said, "A friend said that A’s genitals were large, and while playing the fainting game, I jokingly touched A’s genitals once and then withdrew my hand," adding, "After A’s face turned red, he suddenly collapsed, and I thought I shouldn’t leave him alone, so I told everyone to stop."

They continued, "A got up saying he had to go to his academy and left," and added, "After the media reported the incident that evening, I realized the situation was wrong and apologized to A. I am sorry to the victim and will make sure this never happens again."