Gyeonggi Superintendent of Education: "Is Ju Homin's Recorded File Evidence of Guilt?... What Will Happen to Schools?"

"Secretly Recorded File Without Teacher's Knowledge Has No Evidentiary Value"
Court: "Evidentiary Value Will Be Determined in the Verdict"

Regarding the case of a special education teacher who was brought to trial on charges of abusing webtoon artist Ju Homin's son, Gyeonggi Province Superintendent of Education Lim Taehee clearly stated his opposition to the admission of the recording transcript as evidence, saying, "If the recording file is accepted as evidence, recording of teachers will become rampant."

On the 28th, Superintendent Lim said on his Facebook, "The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education clearly states the position that 'files recorded without the teacher's knowledge have no evidentiary value and cannot be used as evidence of guilt,'" adding, "How can teachers guide students and perform their duties in a school environment where trust has been broken?"

Webtoon artist Ju Homin. Photo by Yonhap News

He added, "Fortunately, the court interpreted that there is a possibility that the recording file was collected illegally," and said, "The Office of Education will do its best to ensure that the recording file is not admitted as evidence of guilt in the trial."

Earlier that day, the court decided to play the entire recording file of the situation at the time in court to examine the context regarding the emotional abuse case involving special education teacher A.

The recording file submitted by the prosecution contains statements made by teacher A to Ju's son (9 years old) during class in September last year. A is reported to have said, "Your behavior is very bad, I'm talking about you," and "I hate you to death. I hate you too, really hate you."

Kim Ki-yoon, the lawyer representing teacher A appointed by the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, said, "Superintendent Lim conveyed the opinion that if the recording transcript is admitted as evidence, recording of teachers will become rampant, causing difficulties in teachers' future duties, and requested the court to make a careful judgment."

The court said, "It is difficult to give a definite answer regarding the admission of evidence at this time," adding, "There seems to be a possibility that it could be considered illegally collected evidence, and there is also a possibility it could be recognized as evidence. The determination of evidentiary value will be made through the verdict."

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