Unable to Solve Math Problem, Bathroom Break '2-Minute Cut'
Court Considers "Some Disciplinary Aspect"
An elementary school teacher who showed cruel and provocative Japanese animations to elementary school students, made them write reviews, and even showed them playing games prohibited for youth in the classroom was sentenced to a fine.
According to a Yonhap News report on the 27th, Song Jong-seon, chief judge of the Chuncheon District Court Criminal Division 1, sentenced teacher A (36), who was indicted for aggravated child abuse under the Child Welfare Act for workers in child welfare facilities, to a fine of 10 million won. The court also ordered A to complete 40 hours of a child abuse treatment program but exempted the employment restriction order for child-related institutions, considering special circumstances.
From March to September last year, A showed three Japanese animations rated for viewers aged 15 and over, which included scenes exposing parts of the female body and scenes of people or animals being killed or arms being cut off, to the class students 26 times through the classroom TV and then made them write reviews. In August of the same year, A also showed the students playing games prohibited for youth through the classroom TV, causing mental shock to the children.
In addition, A’s violent and coercive behavior continued. He forced students to set a 2-minute timer and go to the restroom because they did not prepare for class and were not good at solving math problems. When students continued to struggle with math problems, he angrily said, "Don’t you even review? Why do you eat?" causing fear.
He also shouted at students with low academic understanding, saying, "I told you, so why can’t you do it?" and, unable to control his anger, hit the blackboard hard with his fist. As punishment for students not bringing their physical education textbooks, he made them do 2,000 jumping jacks, and they actually did about 200 jumping jacks over 40 minutes. For not bringing books, he called a student to the front of the classroom, kicked the podium with his foot, hit the blackboard, shouted, and threw books at the desks of students returning to their seats. Due to these continuous actions, A was eventually prosecuted for emotionally abusing the students.
Chief Judge Song pointed out, "Despite being in a position to protect and supervise the victimized children, the defendant negatively affected not only the physical development but also the emotional development and self-esteem formation of children in their growth stages, showing a serious nature of the crime." Regarding the sentencing, he explained, "Considerations were made for the defendant’s admission and remorse, the relatively moderate degree of abuse, and the fact that some actions were intended as discipline."
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