"'Taekwondo Dojang Abuse Death' Director: 'It Was a Joke... Usually Cared for Them'"

Bereaved Family Cries Out, "Are You Happy Killing My Child?"
"Assault Lasted Seconds" CCTV Reviewed
"Please Show Me" They Pleaded... Accomplice Ignored

On the morning of the 19th last month, police at Uijeongbu Police Station in Gyeonggi Province transferred Taekwondo instructor Mr. A, who was arrested on charges of causing the death of a 5-year-old child, to the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office. Photo by Yonhap News

The trial of the Taekwondo instructor who abused a 5-year-old child to death was held.

According to the legal community on the 28th, the Uijeongbu District Court Criminal Division 11 (Chief Judge Oh Chang-seop) held the first hearing for the Taekwondo instructor, Mr. A, in his 30s, on the 27th. On that day, the bereaved family of the victim child, Mr. B, shouted insults at Mr. A and wept loudly while the prosecutor was stating the charges. When Mr. A lowered his head, one family member shouted, "Don't lower your head," and another shouted, "Are you happy that you killed my child?" before collapsing, causing the trial to be temporarily suspended.

On the same day, YTN reported that the bereaved family reviewed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and recorded Mr. A’s specific crimes. According to the notes, at around 7:04 p.m. on the 12th of last month, Mr. A entered the playroom inside the Taekwondo studio and kicked Mr. B’s face, then tried to hit his face with his hand. He also repeatedly pulled Mr. B’s shirt and forced him to do leg splits, causing Mr. B to show a pained expression. Mr. A continued to hit Mr. B’s face and back without concern. The family noted, "Mr. A’s assault continued by the second." Then, Mr. A grabbed Mr. B’s hand, spun him around to collide with another child, and eventually made Mr. B hang on a rolled-up mat. When Mr. B fell from the mat, Mr. A flipped him over and placed the top of his foot on the mat, and shortly after, put Mr. B upside down into the mat with his head facing the floor.

The family recorded that Mr. B struggled violently and expressed pain, but no one helped him. Mr. B went deep inside the mat until his legs were no longer visible, and the assistant instructor nearby only checked Mr. B’s condition without taking active measures. Eventually, at around 7:36 p.m., 27 minutes later, Mr. B appeared with a blue face, and although artificial respiration was performed, he did not regain consciousness.

On that day, the prosecution stated in the indictment, "The defendant knew that the victim child was smaller in stature compared to peers and vulnerable to external shocks," and "Nevertheless, he habitually abused the child and acted with the awareness that the victim’s life could be at risk." They added, "Together with another instructor, he asked the victim child, who was holding a block, if he wanted to exercise, and when the child said no, he hit his abdomen several times and put him upside down in the mat, causing his death." Mr. A did not change his previous claim, saying, "It was a prank on a child I usually cared for." Regarding the prosecution’s claim of implied intent, Mr. A submitted a statement saying, "There is room for dispute, but I acknowledge the objective facts."

Meanwhile, on the 12th of last month, Mr. A abused Mr. B by repeatedly hitting his face and body at his Taekwondo studio located in Deokgye-dong, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi Province. He then put Mr. B upside down inside a rolled-up mat, preventing him from breathing for nearly 30 minutes. Mr. B eventually died after 11 days, and Mr. A was brought to trial on charges of causing Mr. B’s death. At the time, Mr. B shouted, "Let me out," and the instructor nearby also said he should be taken out, but Mr. A continued to neglect Mr. B.

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