By Jung Min-ho
A university professor, surnamed Jang, 52, was arrested for allegedly torturing a student, 29, including forcing him to eat human waste, for years simply because he didn’t like him, police said Tuesday.
Two other students of the professor were also arrested on the same charges, and another female student was booked without detention for assisting them with abusing the student, surnamed Jeon, according to Seongnam Jungwon Police Station in Gyeonggi Province.
From March 2013 to May of this year, the four suspects allegedly beat Jeon with a baseball bat dozens of times. They have also been accused of abusing him with pepper-spray, which burned part of his face.
The abuse did not stop there. According to police, the suspects collected human excrement and forced him to swallow it, while they were watching it live online through video chatting.
Jeon, who studied under Jang and worked at his office, said he put up with the abuse in the hope of getting a job as a university professor, which Jang had promised to him. He also noted he did not want to worry his family.
The suspects also threatened Jeon financially, saying he must pay them “compensation” over financial damages he did not even make.
He told police that his life over the past two years was exactly like that of a slave.
He said at first he had a dream of becoming a professor, but the abuse became more and more intense.
“When Jeon tried to break off communication with the suspects, they threatened him with the false accusations. They also said they would cut his Achilles tendon if he ever tried to run away,” a police officer said.
Because of their abuse, Jeon was hospitalized several times. In one instance, it took him six weeks to fully recover.