"Can't Feel My Legs"... 9-Year-Old Left Paralyzed After Hapkido Class, Head Instructor Referred to Prosecution

Instructor Claims "There Seemed to Be No Problem at the Time"

The head instructor of a Hapkido gym in North Chungcheong Province has been referred to the prosecution on charges of causing lower body paralysis in a 9-year-old elementary school student during class.

According to Yonhap News on November 12, Cheongju Sangdang Police Station referred the head instructor, identified as A (in his 50s), of a certain Hapkido gym without detention on charges of occupational negligence resulting in injury. A is accused of causing lower body paralysis to student B during a class at his gym on May 20.

At the time, A was instructing a move involving a bridge position and an aerial rotation (raising the abdomen) and pushed B's back upward with one hand. It was reported that B's left leg was twisted during the landing after the rotation.

For the remaining 30 minutes of the class, B reportedly complained of physical discomfort, such as holding her waist or squatting. Although B told A at the time, "I can't feel strength in my legs," A did not take her to the hospital immediately. Only after the training session ended did A put B in the gym's van and send her home.

It was found that after the class ended, B suddenly collapsed and showed symptoms of lower body paralysis. After her parents saw that she could not move her legs, B was taken to two local hospitals and then transferred to a major hospital in Seoul, where she was diagnosed the next day with lower body paralysis due to spinal nerve damage.

During the police investigation, A reportedly stated, "B did not appear to have any major problems immediately after landing." He also claimed that there were standard mats installed in the gym at the time of the accident and that he did not realize the severity of the injury right after the incident.