Chungbuk Office of Education Holds Emergency Briefing on April 28
"Reviewing School Safety Measures... Considering Installation of Emergency Bells to Prevent Recurrence"
The student who committed the knife attack at a high school in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, was identified as a second-year special education student at the school. It was confirmed that the student arrived at school earlier than usual and went to the 'special class,' not their regular class, to carry out the attack. On April 28, the North Chungcheong Office of Education held an emergency briefing in the afternoon and announced these details.
According to the North Chungcheong Office of Education, the perpetrator was admitted last year as a special education student. Special education students can be selected not only if they are registered as having a disability but also based on medical and educational diagnoses. In this case, it was reported that the perpetrator had not been issued a disability welfare card.
During the first year, the student received education in the special class, but beginning this year, requested to be placed in an integrated class and moved to a general class. An official from the North Chungcheong Office of Education stated, "Reassignment to a general class is decided after submitting a reassignment application, followed by a meeting of the school's individualized support team and deliberation by the North Chungcheong Special Education Committee."
The incident took place in the special class classroom on the first floor. The perpetrator requested a meeting with the teacher who was in charge of the special class last year and, despite it being the first period, went to the special class. Most classes are held in classrooms on the second floor or higher, so it is reported that other students did not directly witness the knife attack. The screams of the special class teacher alerted the school nurse, principal, administrative staff, and environmental staff, who intervened. In the process of restraining the perpetrator, four staff members, including the principal, were injured. After the rampage inside the school, the perpetrator fled the school grounds and also harmed two passersby.
The emergency bell did not sound immediately after the incident. Although an emergency bell is installed under the classroom desk, the education authorities determined that the teacher was not in a position to press it.
The perpetrator was carrying four knives in their bag but was not subject to any restrictions. An official from the North Chungcheong Office of Education said, "Although the school's code of conduct includes regulations regarding the possession of items (such as knives), inspections can only be conducted if there is a reasonable suspicion that student safety may be threatened or school order may be disrupted," and added, "Since the perpetrator had the knives in their bag from the time they arrived at school, it was not possible to inspect them."
The North Chungcheong Office of Education stated regarding this incident, "We apologize for causing concern," and added, "We will make efforts to establish fundamental countermeasures."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
