'Bruised Deceased Elementary Student' Recurrence Prevention Measures... Incheon Office of Education "Strengthening Management of Absent Students"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] In response to the recent 'bruised elementary school student death case' that occurred in Incheon, the education authorities have begun preparing measures to prevent recurrence. The student, who was absent from school claiming to be homeschooled, was found to have died due to abuse by his stepmother, according to police investigation results.

On the 9th, Do Seonghun, Superintendent of Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education, held an emergency countermeasure meeting and instructed, "Strengthen the management of unexcused absences and improve the system to make reporting mandatory when such cases are discovered."

Superintendent Do said, "Although we managed unexcused absences according to strengthened regulations, there were shortcomings," and ordered, "We will review the system from the ground up and gather opinions from experts and school sites to prepare improvement plans."

The city education office plans to collaborate with related agencies to minimize blind spots in student whereabouts and safety management and establish a systematic social welfare system.

On the same day, the city education office held a countermeasure council with related agencies such as Incheon City Hall and Incheon Police Agency to prevent similar incidents from recurring. They also held an emergency meeting with officials from the Ministry of Education and other city and provincial education offices.

An official from the Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education stated, "We will cooperate with metropolitan-level child protection agencies such as Incheon City, the police, and child protection specialized institutions to specify follow-up measures."

The funeral hall of an elementary school student who died covered in bruises
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 7th, A, a 5th-grade elementary school student (12 years old), was found dead with bruises all over his body in an apartment in Namdong-gu, Incheon.

Police investigation revealed that A died due to abuse by his stepmother B (43) on the day of the incident. B has been charged with child abuse resulting in death under the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, and A's biological father (40) has been charged with habitual child abuse under the Child Welfare Act; arrest warrants have been requested for both.

A had been continuously absent from school from November 24 of last year until recently and was under intensive management by the education authorities.

However, B and her husband refused various notifications from the school, claiming they were preparing for studying abroad in the Philippines and were homeschooling at home.

The school did not conduct a home visit after B personally brought A to school on December 1, just one week after the absence began. From December last year until last month, the school reportedly confirmed A's whereabouts and safety only three times via phone and reported to the city education office.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.