Retaking Student Beaten by Academy Instructor Before Suneung Exam... "Failed Test and Suffering from Trauma"

Assaulted Inside the Classroom
Netizens Express Concern: "Likely to Suffer Trauma"

At a cram school in Incheon, outrage has erupted after a story surfaced that an instructor kicked and punched a student three days before the college entrance exam.

On the 13th, JTBC's 'Sageon Banjang' reported on an assault incident that occurred last November at a retake cram school in Incheon. The victim, student A, was a retake student who had attended the cram school for a year.

According to student A's side, the incident began in the restroom. English instructor Mr. B placed toilet paper on the floor in the restroom and, as a joke, took it away and then put it back within three seconds. Student A stated, "The class atmosphere was good, and I thought I was close with the teacher, so I played a prank, but Mr. B seemed very angry, so I was startled and scared."

Afterwards, Mr. B came out into the hallway and angrily asked, "Who did this?" Student A apologized, saying, "It was me. I'm sorry." However, Mr. B, still angry, struck student A's left cheek so hard near the restroom that his glasses flew off. Feeling scared, student A ran to the cram school office, thinking another teacher would stop the assault. However, despite the presence of other teachers, Mr. B continued to assault student A inside the office.

A private academy instructor is assaulting a student in the faculty office. [Image source=JTBC 'Sageon Banjang']

The assault continued inside the classroom as well. While student A was sitting with other students attending another teacher's class, Mr. B approached from behind and hit the back of student A's head. Student A reportedly suffered a nosebleed from this. However, the cram school reportedly told the assaulted student A, "Don't say you were assaulted because your parents will worry before the college entrance exam."

Student A's father said, "I would understand if he had just scolded or lightly flicked him, but after watching the (assault) video, it seemed too severe, so we filed a complaint," adding, "There has been no apology to this day, and my son retook the exam for a year but couldn't even take the test properly." Mr. B is known to have received a summary fine of 1.5 million won. There has been no apology from Mr. B or the cram school so far.

Netizens who came across the story responded with comments such as, "The student will likely suffer severe trauma," "How painful it must be for the parents," and "If the student played a prank, a scolding would be appropriate, but continuous assault shows he is unfit as a teacher."