In 2011, a junior high school student who made an extreme choice because he was unable to endure school violence in Daegu was alive, and a part of his suicide note was uploaded to a community. Photo = Kleeang capture
[아시아경제 나한아 기자] Amidst suspicions of school violence against athletes, actors, and singers, the suspicion of school violence in the past is drawing attention again.
On the 22nd, an online community posted an article titled “The will of a middle school student that always comes to mind when I see a harassment incident,” and a picture of the deceased being photographed on an elevator closed circuit (CC) TV a few hours before making an extreme choice.
In the text of the suicide note, “I am already blinding my tears because I think I can’t see my family instead of ending the right days every day. I hope I’ll be happy without me. I love you mom and dad!”
This will was left by the late Seung-min Kwon, who made an extreme choice in 2011 through school violence. At that time, Kwon, who was a second grader in middle school, was routinely harassed by his classmates, including bitter torture, beatings, and extortion of money. Kwon also wrote down the reason for failing to report, saying, “I tried to ask for help from my parents or teachers, but I was afraid of retaliation,” leaving a will for 4 A4 sheets in the living room of the house.
The creator of the community said, “Sometimes I think that it is too harsh to the perpetrator, but when I think of this student’s will and that scene in the CCTV, I regain my mind.” Shouldn’t it be the same?”
This case, known as the’Daegu Middle School Student Case’, caused resentment when the full text of the suicide note left by Kwon and the CCTV photos containing the last image of his life were released. With this incident, the School Violence Prevention Act was revised in February of the following year, and in June, the School Violence Police Officer (SPO) system was introduced as one of the government’s measures to eradicate school violence.
However, even after 10 years, school violence continues. According to the results of the’School Violence Survey’ released last month by the Ministry of Education and 17 provincial offices of education, the proportion of cyber violence increased from 8.9% in 2019 to 12.3% last year. In addition, the number of respondents that the victim site was’outside school’ increased from 25.1% in 2019 to 35.7% last year.
Reporter Han-ah Na [email protected]