Bullied high school students kills himself

By Kim Rahn

A male high school student in Daegu committed suicide after allegedly being bullied by other students for over two years.

It is the eighth officially-known suicide in the city in half a year after a 14-year-old middle school student killed himself on Dec. 20.

The government has come up with measures to fight school violence and bullying since the first death, but the schemes seem to be ineffective apparently.

On Saturday, an apartment guard found the body of the 15-year-old student, surnamed Kim, on the flowerbed of the apartment building in Daegu at around 7:05 p.m. and reported it to the police. Police believe Kim jumped to his death.

They presume he suffered from violence at school based on Kakao Talk messages he exchanged with friends and a three-page suicide note he wrote several months ago.

In the messages he exchanged with members of an online football game club, Kim said: “I’ve been suffering for two years. I was once robbed of 30,000 won. Today I’m going to fight him man-to-man. Either I or he will die. He’s good at fighting. If I don’t contact you for two weeks, please get another team manager. I’m going to fight.”

Afterward he wrote again: “I’m going to explode. I’ve been enduring this situation for two years. I defied him as I couldn’t stand it anymore, but I was defeated. I can’t live like this.”

In January, the student wrote another suicide note after having his eardrum burst after he was attacked by members of a soccer club comprised of alumni from his middle school. He tore the note up at that time, but his parents found it and kept it.

“I don’t think I can live anymore. I’ve been beaten by this guy whenever I make a very small mistake. I’ve done everything he orders me too and I’ve seen him to his home every day. Today he wanted me to come out to play football but he beat me for being 10 minutes late. I was trying to explain why I was late, and he beat me again for making excuses,” Kim said in the note.

“If you look at the surveillance camera recording in front of the elementary school, you’ll see me dragged by him every day. If it is not helpful, please use any means such as a lie detector, and punish them,” the note said.

Police plan to investigate members of the football club.

Regarding the suicide, Internet users are criticizing the government and educational circles for not presenting effective anti-school violence measures. In February, the government announced several steps including a dual homeroom teacher system, heavier punishment for bullies and transferring offenders to other schools.

“Many educational and youth groups doubted the effectiveness of the measures, but the government has ignored the criticism, spending 158 billion won on the plan. Who will take responsibility for the hollow measures that cannot prevent children committing suicide?” the Korea Youth Support Association said in a statement.