Feeding Sand and Pressing the Body... Seongnam City Council Member with Child Involved in School Violence Finally Apologizes

"My child apologizes to the victim student... regrets past actions"

A member of the Seongnam City Council in Gyeonggi Province, whose child was involved as a perpetrator in school violence, has finally apologized.

Empty classroom scene. Photo by Pixabay

According to Yonhap News, Councilor A of the People Power Party in Seongnam City Council issued an apology statement on the 17th, saying, "I sincerely bow my head and apologize to the student who was harmed and their family, and I also express my apologies to the citizens."

He said, "As a parent, I bear great responsibility for not properly educating my child," adding, "My child has also apologized to the victim and regrets and reflects on the past actions." He further stated, "I will ensure that such incidents do not happen again."

According to the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education and Seongnam City Council, earlier this year from April to June, a report was received that four students at an elementary school in Seongnam committed acts of violence against a girl named B at a park, including mixing snacks with sand and forcing her to eat it, and pressing down on her body as a punishment in a game.

After receiving the report, the investigating authorities confirmed the school violence and recently held a School Violence Countermeasure Committee (Hakpokwi) meeting, deciding on measures including a written apology (Type 1) and class transfer (Type 7) for two of the perpetrators. Additionally, one student who was less involved received a written apology and four hours of school community service (Type 3), and the remaining one received a written apology. The victim B's side, who attended the Hakpokwi, also requested a class transfer, and B's class was changed accordingly.

Afterward, controversy grew as it became known that one of the perpetrators was the child of a city council member. On the 16th, the Democratic Party Councilors' Association of the City Council held a press conference in front of the Seongnam Office of Education, urging Councilor A to apologize, stating that one of the perpetrators was a council member's child. On the same day, numerous posts demanding Councilor A's resignation and punishment for the perpetrators were posted on the Seongnam City Council's free bulletin board according to heavy rain standards.