Abuse of Authority Toward Classmates and Teachers, Multiple 'Hakpokwi' Reports... Controversy Over 60s Mature Student at High School

Seven Reports of 'School Violence' Since Enrollment This Year
Allegations of Power Abuse Toward Classmates and Teachers
Demanded to Be Called 'Oppa' by Classmate Young Enough to Be His Granddaughter

A freshman who enrolled as a mature student in his 60s at a high school in Gyeongnam has sparked controversy after it was revealed that he reported fellow students to the School Violence Committee (Hakpokwi) several times and was accused of abusing his authority towards classmates and teachers.

The situation is particularly shocking because it is unusual for someone of his age to claim to be a victim of violence by much younger students, and at the same time, this mature student has also been identified as a perpetrator of school violence and accused of abusing classmates and teachers.

According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Office of Education and the school on August 1, Mr. A (60), the mature student, was admitted as a first-year student in March this year. The Provincial Office of Education explained, "Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, anyone who has graduated from middle school or passed the qualification exam can enter high school," and added, "We approved Mr. A's admission after legal consultation with the Ministry of Education."

However, since his admission, Mr. A has reported his classmates to the Hakpokwi seven times up until last month, claiming to have suffered verbal abuse and other forms of violence. During the same period, one classmate also reported Mr. A for the same reason, resulting in a total of eight reports being submitted to the committee. Of these eight cases, two were concluded not to be school violence, two are still under investigation, and the remaining four were resolved internally.

A school official stated, "There is no evidence that Mr. A was directly subjected to swearing or physical assault. It appears that most of his reports were made during everyday conversations or disciplinary interactions with classmates."

In addition to his habitual reports to the Hakpokwi, Mr. A has also been accused of abusing his authority towards classmates and teachers. A complaint was filed with the National Sinmungo alleging that he forced a classmate, who is young enough to be his granddaughter, to call him 'oppa.' He is also known to have made various demands to teachers, such as encouraging the use of Chinese characters.

It has been reported that Mr. A conveyed to the school his intention to "reflect on his actions and strive to prevent any harm to students in the future."