Prosecutors Appeal for 5-Year Prison Sentence for Kindergarten Teacher Who Put Mosquito Repellent in School Meals

Kindergarten Teacher Also Submits Appeal on the Same Day

Former kindergarten teacher Park Mo (50), who was indicted on charges of adding harmful substances such as mosquito repellent to kindergarten meals and went through the appeal trial, and the prosecution that investigated the case both filed appeals to the court, dissatisfied with the appellate court's ruling.

On the 31st, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office announced that it had appealed the second trial verdict against Park, who is accused of attempted special injury. The prosecution stated, "After re-examining evidence such as CCTV footage and legal principles related to the parts where not guilty was declared, we are filing an appeal to seek punishment commensurate with the crime against the defendant." Park also submitted an appeal to the Seoul Southern District Court on the same day.

Park was indicted in November 2020 on charges of attempting injury by adding surfactants and mosquito repellents to meal containers at a kindergarten in Seoul where he worked as a kindergarten teacher, but the attempt was unsuccessful. He is also accused of adding harmful substances to a colleague's coffee cup and tumbler in the same year. Park denied all charges in the first trial.

In the first trial, the prosecution demanded a 10-year prison sentence and requested that Park complete a child abuse treatment program and be banned from employment in child-related institutions for 10 years. However, in February, the court ruled not guilty on some charges and sentenced him to 4 years in prison in the first trial.

With both Park and the prosecution appealing, the second trial proceeded, and the court upheld the original verdict, stating, "There could have been serious harm to the health of fellow teachers and kindergarten children," and sentenced Park to 5 years in prison, one year more than the original sentence.