Jung Soon-shin's Son: "Words Said Like a Joke Are Being Framed as School Violence"

Expressed Grievances in Counseling Records at Banpo High School
Similar Claims Made During Injunction Application
Attempted Transfer Due to 'Change of Residence' Failed

It was reported on the 27th that the son of lawyer Jeong Sun-shin, who was appointed as the head of the National Investigation Headquarters of the National Police Agency but fell from the position after just one day, said that the words he had said jokingly at the school where he was forcibly transferred due to school violence (hakpok) were framed as school violence.

According to the counseling records from Banpo High School received by the National Assembly Education Committee from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, Jeong's son, Jeong Mo (22), claimed in the first homeroom teacher counseling session in March 2019, shortly after his transfer, regarding the school violence incident at Minjok Leadership Academy and the reason for his transfer. In the counseling, Jeong stated, "The trouble started when the victim student frequently came to the dorm room and got annoyed, telling us to stop using vulgar language among the boys," and "Words that were said jokingly and without malice were framed as school violence and referred to the School Violence Countermeasure Committee (hakpokwi)," according to the records.

Attorney Jeong Sun-shin [Image source=Yonhap News]

It is also reported that Jeong’s side included similar claims in the 'Application for Suspension of Disciplinary Action Effect' filed with the court in opposition to the disciplinary action by Minjok Leadership Academy. The application reportedly stated, "(Jeong and the victim) were close and naturally gave each other nicknames based on their hometowns or political orientations," and "The victim even wanted to be Jeong’s dorm roommate in the second semester of the first year, showing special regard for the applicant, so it is inconsistent to now report the words Jeong said as verbal abuse."

Earlier, it was confirmed that during the process of transferring from Minjok Leadership Academy to Banpo High School, there was an attempt to administratively process the transfer as a 'residence relocation' rather than a forced transfer due to school violence. Jeong’s side submitted a general high school transfer application to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on February 8, 2019, selecting 'residence relocation' as the reason for transfer. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education assigned Jeong to Banpo High School, which was listed as the first choice, on the same day, but five days later, Banpo High School requested cancellation of the assignment, and the 'residence relocation' transfer was canceled. Banpo High School accepted the transfer only after receiving the official letter from Minjok Leadership Academy requesting the transfer of the student involved in school violence sent to the Office of Education.