"We Can No Longer Afford to Lose Our Friends"... High School Students Nationwide Issue Statements Following Gwangju Stabbing Incident

Memorial Statement Issued at Victim's Alma Mater:
"We Will Take Action Until the End"

Students from Gwangju, Daegu, Gangwon, and More Release Consecutive Statements

"Severe Punishment and Preventive Measures Needed"

Following the stabbing incident involving a female high school student in Gwangju, student councils from her alma mater as well as high schools across the country have been releasing statements. Students are both mourning the loss of their peer and calling for strict punishment for the perpetrator, as well as the implementation of measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

Statement released on social media by the student council of the high school of the student fatally stabbed with a weapon. Instagram capture

On May 11, the student council of Gwangju B High School, the alma mater of the victim, a 17-year-old girl referred to as A, released a statement on its official social media account along with a photo of a large notice posted on the school building. In the post, titled "We Can No Longer Lose Our Precious Friends," the student council paid tribute to the deceased student and demanded a thorough investigation and severe punishment for the perpetrator.

The B High School student council stated, "Seeing the empty seat of our friend, all of us feel an irreparable sadness and anger," arguing that the perpetrator should be sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by law.

The council further emphasized, "We will stand in solidarity and take action until the injustice suffered by the deceased is resolved. We will forever remember our friend who has become a star in the sky, and we will never remain silent but continue to raise our voices until the day when the perpetrator receives appropriate punishment and our society becomes safer."

They also conveyed their condolences, saying, "We sincerely pray for the repose of our classmate who tragically passed away."

Collective statements from students regarding this incident continue to be released nationwide. In the Gwangju area, students from Kyungshin Girls' High School, Seolwol Girls' High School, Suwan High School, Soongil High School, and Jeonnam Girls' High School have each issued statements, urging for a thorough investigation and greater social attention.

This movement has also spread to other regions outside of Gwangju. High school students from across the country, including Sokcho Girls' High School in Gangwon and Sangwon High School in Daegu, have issued statements through their student councils or clubs, demanding the disclosure of the perpetrator's identity and strict punishment.

Students pointed out that simply advising teenagers who return home late after using study cafes or reading rooms to come home earlier is not enough. Instead, they stressed the need to strengthen patrols and security activities around schools during vulnerable hours to create an environment where students can commute to and from school without fear.

Previously, at around 12:11 a.m. on May 5, A, a 17-year-old female high school student, was fatally stabbed by Jang, a 24-year-old man she did not know, on a road near a university in Gwangju while she was on her way home. B, a 17-year-old boy who ran to help after hearing A's screams, was also injured by the weapon. Police investigations revealed that Jang followed A, who was returning home after studying, and committed the crime. Jang reportedly told police, "I found no joy in life and was contemplating suicide when I decided to commit the crime. I intended to take someone with me."

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