In the 'Yecheon Archery Team School Violence' Case... Archery Association Promises "Unacceptable Incident, Strict Response"

"Thorough Investigation and Disciplinary Action for Responsible Parties"

The Korea Archery Association emphasized that the school violence incident that occurred in the archery club of a middle school in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk, is "an unacceptable incident" and stated that "a thorough investigation and disciplinary action will be taken against those responsible." / Photo by Korea Archery Association website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Juhyung] The Korea Archery Association has issued an official statement saying it will take "the strictest measures" regarding a school violence incident that occurred in the archery club of a middle school in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk.

On the 23rd, the Korea Archery Association posted a notice on its official website stating, "A recent incident occurred at a middle school in the Yecheon area that should never happen in the archery community," expressing its stance.

It added, "Through contact with the parents of the victim student today, we promised support at the association level for physical and mental recovery," and "We sincerely hope that the victim student's physical and mental wounds will heal as soon as possible."

The association also promised strict punishment for the perpetrators and those responsible. It stated, "We will do our best to ensure thorough investigation and disciplinary action against those responsible," and explained, "For perpetrators and those responsible for violence incidents within school sports clubs like this case, disciplinary decisions will be made by the Sports Fairness Committee of the affiliated city/province (association) sports council in accordance with the Korea Sports Council's Sports Fairness Committee regulations."

Furthermore, it emphasized, "Regardless of whether the Korea Archery Association has disciplinary authority, we will take the strictest possible measures at the association level."

The incident occurred on the 4th at a middle school in Yecheon. According to the Gyeongbuk Office of Education and others, the captain of the middle school archery club, a third-year student, aimed a practice arrow at a first-year junior from about 3 meters away. The fired arrow pierced the victim's training uniform, grazed the back causing an injury, and then fell to the ground.

On the 4th, a junior player was hit by a practice arrow shot by the captain of the archery club at a middle school in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk, causing wounds on the player's clothes (left) and back. / Photo by KBS

The school reported the incident to the Office of Education the next day (the 5th). The Office of Education held a School Violence Deliberation Committee (Hakpokwi) meeting and concluded it was a case of school violence. The committee plans to decide the punishment level for the perpetrator student at the meeting on the 27th.

In this regard, the victim student's family recently posted a message on the official bulletin board of the Korea Archery Association's website urging for "strict punishment of the perpetrator."

A netizen who identified themselves as the victim student's older brother expressed outrage in the post, saying, "Please make sure the perpetrator student never holds a bow again," and "I believe that such a school violence perpetrator, or rather an attempted murderer who shot my younger brother with a bow, has no right to hold a bow again."

He explained, "My younger brother was a child who loved archery and had been practicing it since early elementary school," and "Recently, I happened to see a large wound on his back, so I asked him what the injury was. He looked around nervously and said it was nothing. Then, about one to two weeks later, he told me that a senior in the archery club shot an arrow at him."

He continued, "At first, my parents were willing to settle if an apology was made, but the other party's parents reacted arrogantly, which made my parents very angry and led them to report the matter to the media," and claimed, "The perpetrator's side reportedly requested a settlement on the grounds that if the issue escalated, the archery club would be disbanded."