A Female Middle School Student Who Committed Suicide in Jindo Apartment... Evidence of School Violence Victimization
Controversy Over 'Gijeolnori' Bullying Video... Perpetrator Says "It Was a Joke"
Experts Say "Schools Must Establish School Violence Prevention Systems"
A note left by Lee Mo, a first-year high school student from Yanggu, Gangwon Province, who passed away last June. Photo by Instagram screenshot.
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] # Last June, Lee Mo (17), a first-year high school student in Yanggu, Gangwon Province, took his own life. He left behind only a note saying he was struggling due to bullying and school violence, then jumped from the school rooftop and died. In the note, Lee pleaded, "I can't even look up at the sky because it makes me cry," "What else can I do besides pretending to be okay?" and "I'm not okay. Please help me." The bereaved family expressed their grief through a petition to the Blue House, stating, "The problem was the collective bullying by the perpetrator students and the teachers' indifference."
Recently, the number of youths suffering from school violence and making extreme choices has been increasing. Some perpetrators not only engage in so-called 'gijeolnori' (fainting game), where they choke or press the chest of the victim hard enough to cause temporary unconsciousness, but also cruelly record and spread these acts on social networking services (SNS).
Despite committing brutal crimes against peers, many juvenile offenders avoid punishment due to their status as 'chokbeopsonyeon' (juvenile offenders under criminal law). This has led to growing calls for reform. Experts emphasize the need for schools to establish their own systems to address this issue.
On the 2nd, it was revealed that one of the middle school students who died in a joint fall at an apartment in Jindo, Jeollanam-do, had been subjected to bullying and verbal abuse by classmates.
According to the Jeonnam Office of Education and Jindo Police Station, among the male and female middle school students who made an extreme choice at an apartment in Jindo County on the 31st of last month, student A was a victim of school violence by classmates.
It was reported that A was bullied and verbally abused by six classmates during her lifetime. In response, the Jindo Education Support Office ordered these six students to complete 10 hours of school service and 2 hours of special education on May 24. However, the bereaved family claimed that A and the perpetrators were not properly separated during this process, leading to retaliatory violence.
The bereaved family stated, "We plan to sue the perpetrators after the funeral process is completed, using detailed circumstances about the school violence written in the suicide note as evidence."
A video suspected of showing group bullying among students has spread online. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Victims of school violence continue to suffer without end. According to the '2020 School Violence Survey' released by the Ministry of Education in January this year, among 2.95 million elementary, middle, and high school respondents, 9,300 reported having been perpetrators, and 26,900 reported being victims. It is estimated that many hidden victims did not respond to the survey out of fear of retaliation.
Among them, some youths commit crimes as brutal as those of adults. Recently, the 'gijeolnori' (fainting game) has resurfaced online, causing concern. This game involves choking or pressing the chest hard enough to temporarily knock someone unconscious. It causes hypoxia by cutting off oxygen supply to the brain and mainly targets students who suffer from school violence.
There have been cases where victims, unable to endure group bullying including gijeolnori, have made extreme choices. On June 29, B, who was found dead at Eodeungsan in Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, listed friends' names in a suicide note, saying, "I was embarrassed and hurt from being beaten at school, but thanks to you, I could go around smiling. Thank you so much." It was reported that B was bullied to the point of losing consciousness in the classroom, including being choked by other students.
On the 13th of last month, a video showing a male student apparently being bullied by peers was circulated, causing an uproar. In the video, one male student choked the victim from behind, while a nearby female student smoked a cigarette and appeared to touch the victim's private parts. However, the perpetrators told the police that it was just a "gijeolnori prank," which sparked criticism.
Other types of school violence cases have also been reported, including 'surgery play,' where victims are cut on the stomach, arms, or legs with knives to instill fear, and 'loan shark play,' where money is lent with exorbitant interest demands, followed by assault and threats if not repaid.
As a result, citizens are outraged by the ongoing school violence crimes. Office worker Oh (28) said, "Perpetrators may torment victims as a momentary prank, but those memories remain lifelong trauma for the victims. Especially, cases where proper investigations are not conducted because the offenders are juveniles under criminal law are increasing," and added, "School violence is continuous assault occurring in the same space. It must be severely punished."
University student Kim (24) said, "I don't understand the fainting game itself. How can that be called a 'game'?" and criticized, "What era are we living in that juveniles are given a free pass just because they are young? There have been talks about revising the Juvenile Act for years, but there has been no movement, which is frustrating. Weak punishment leads to retaliation."
Experts suggest that schools need to establish systems to prevent school violence on their own. Professor Kwak Geumju of Seoul National University's Department of Psychology pointed out, "First, the school system must change. Many schools tend to hush up school violence, which leads to retaliation. Schools need to establish systems that enable victims to actively respond to violence."
※ If you have difficult feelings such as depression or know family or acquaintances facing such difficulties, you can receive 24-hour professional counseling at suicide prevention hotlines ☎1577 0199, Hope Phone ☎129, Lifeline ☎1588 9191, and Youth Phone ☎1388.
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