South Korea Outraged Over Four-Year School Bullying Case: Victim Treated as “Toy and ATM”

On June 6, JTBC’s Crime Chief reported the incident based on a tip from the victim’s side.

According to the victim, the perpetrators, who have been bullying him since middle school and continuing into their second year of high school, have engaged in physical assault and severe harassment for approximately four years. Two of the perpetrators attend the same high school as the victim, with one in the same department. They stripped the victim’s underwear, bound his hands with duct tape, covered his mouth, and took photos. They forced him to drink alcohol, filmed him vomiting, applied martial arts techniques to twist his arms, and shaved his head with clippers, among other forms of abuse. They also reportedly threatened him with weapons to prevent resistance.

The victim stated, “They shared the photos among themselves or sent them to other friends. For three to four years, I didn’t have the strength to escape.”

The perpetrators used these illegal recordings to extort money, reportedly taking around 10 million KRW (approximately $7,200 USD) from the victim over four years. This included the victim’s monthly 70,000 KRW youth welfare voucher provided by Cheongyang County.

The victim’s family only recently learned of the abuse when his cousin noticed something suspicious. On May 11, the family reported the issue to the school, requesting immediate separation of the victim from the perpetrators. However, the school responded, “We’ll take action after the trip,” and proceeded with a school field trip.

During the field trip, the victim received a threatening DM from one of the perpetrators saying, “Let’s meet up,” and faced further harassment. Even after the field trip, the school reportedly failed to implement separation measures.

Ultimately, the family reported the case directly to the School Violence Reporting Center, prompting the Cheongyang Office of Education to become aware of the incident.

The Office of Education has completed its investigation of the perpetrators and is reviewing potential disciplinary action against the school for its inadequate response. The school explained, “It was difficult to ascertain the full facts due to the upcoming field trip.”

The victim shared, “To them, I was a toy, a slave, an ATM. I want to forget, but I can’t. It still haunts my dreams.” The victim’s father pleaded, “My child’s teenage years have been utterly ruined. I demand strict punishment for all the perpetrators and protective measures like a no-contact order.”

The harrowing case has sparked outrage across South Korea, reigniting calls for stricter school violence prevention measures and greater accountability from educational institutions. As investigations continue, the public is closely watching how the perpetrators and the school will be held responsible.