Teacher Absent... Seven 5-Year-Old Children at Daycare Involved in Peer Group Assault

Child Victims Complain of Anxiety Symptoms

Daycare center. Not related to the article. /Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The police have secured CCTV footage and launched a full-scale investigation into an incident at a daycare center in Jecheon, Chungbuk, where seven children collectively assaulted a peer while the teacher was away.

The Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency announced on the 8th that a complaint related to the incident was filed on the 15th of last month, and they are currently analyzing the daycare center's closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

Earlier, on the 23rd of last month, a post appeared on social media in the Jecheon area claiming that the poster's 5-year-old son was beaten twice by seven other children from the same daycare center, sparking controversy.

Parent A stated, "Even after discovering wounds on my child's body on October 18, the assaults continued, including being bitten by a classmate," adding, "During a meeting with the teacher in charge, I was told, 'I was not present at the time of the incident, but I was aware that such an event had occurred.'"

In response, A requested to view the daycare center's CCTV to understand the exact cause and circumstances. A explained, "Upon review, it was confirmed that while the teacher was away, seven children gathered around my child and began assaulting him," adding, "The footage clearly showed them preventing him from escaping, hitting him with hands and feet, and pulling his hair."

It was determined that the homeroom teacher was not present at the scene when the group bullying occurred. Following the public outcry, the daycare center issued a statement explaining, "The homeroom teacher asked another teacher from a different class to cover for about 7 minutes and 40 seconds, during which the incident took place."

They continued, "An operations committee was convened to resolve the issue, but the parents of the victim did not attend," and "We planned to hold a second operations committee meeting to inform the results, but the parents sent a text message to the director and then reported the case to the police as child abuse."

The police are investigating whether the daycare center is guilty of neglect. The victimized child has since left the daycare and is reportedly receiving psychological treatment due to symptoms of anxiety.

Meanwhile, a Chungbuk Provincial Police Agency official stated, "Child abuse cases are punishable regardless of settlement or consent under the Child Welfare Act, as they are not subject to complaint or non-prosecution by the victim," adding, "We will determine the establishment of a crime through video analysis."