'Jeju Child Death Accident'... Academy and Companion Falsified Employment Documents

Director Booked for Violating Road Traffic Act and Negligent Homicide Charges

Van vehicle. Not related to the driver.

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Regarding the accident in which a 9-year-old child died after their clothing got caught in the door while getting off a 학원 shuttle vehicle, it has been revealed that the 학원 did not hire an attendant to assist children with boarding and alighting and falsified documents.

The Jeju Western Police Station announced on the 27th that they have booked the 학원 director for violations of the Road Traffic Act and professional negligence resulting in death and are currently investigating. The driver of the 학원 shuttle vehicle was also booked for violations of the Road Traffic Act and death under the Special Act on Traffic Accident Handling.

According to the amended Road Traffic Act (Serim Act), which strengthens safety standards for children's shuttle vehicles, a guardian who assists children or infants boarding and alighting must be on board the children's shuttle bus.

According to the Ministry of Education's shuttle bus management system, the 학원 was recorded as having an employee who completed attendant training on November 21, 2019, but this was confirmed to be a falsified document.

Earlier, at around 4:10 PM on the 25th, on the southwest road of Sinjeju Rotary in Yeon-dong, Jeju City, an accident occurred where a 9-year-old child was run over by the wheel after their clothing got caught in the door as the 학원 shuttle vehicle started moving.

At the time of the accident, there was no attendant on board besides the driver.

In the police investigation, the 학원 director stated, "We have never hired an attendant for the shuttle vehicle."

Meanwhile, the Jeju City Office of Education has only provided guidance to 학원 and others to register attendants but has not actually investigated whether attendants were on board. A representative from the Jeju City Office of Education stated, "We conduct annual inspections of children's shuttle vehicles, but we have not been able to check whether there is an assistant teacher on board."