Another student from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) took his own life Tuesday, the third suicide at the prestigious school in three months.
A security guard called the police after finding Jang, 25, lying on the ground and bleeding near his home. Jang had jumped from the 12th floor of the building where he lived. He was taken to hospital, but was declared dead, police said.
Jang had graduated from high school in Seoul and returned to study at KAIST after completing his mandatory military service.
He had a history of depression and was also hospitalized for symptoms of such four years ago.
The police also discovered that Jang was unable to adjust to the new environment, study well or get along with others while he was an elementary student for two years in the United States. When he returned to Korea, he was also picked on by his classmates during his middle and high school years.
``Jang would cut class saying that he didn’t want to go to school. He also didn’t go out much and stayed in his room,’’ one of his family members was quoted as saying by the police.
The suicide has dealt a tragic blow to the reputation of one of the most prestigious universities in Korea, questioning the school’s ability to provide a supportive and positive environment for the students.
In January, 19-year-old Cho was found dead near a school building after taking a large dose of sleeping pills, while Kim, a sophomore at KAIST, was also found dead near his home after jumping off his apartment building in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province this month.
Following the first death in January, the school launched a suicide prevention committee that month, but the two additional deaths are starting to raise doubts that make the committee is actually fulfilling its purpose.
Meanwhile, KAIST professor and author Jung Jae-seung expressed his worries on the issue via Twitter, saying that he fears that the school will be unable to come up with proper and effective measures even after the third death.
``The school must listen to the students and put in place fundamental measures. We have to change the scholarship program to help students feel the passion of studying, the beauty of cooperation and the joy of creativity, more. We also have to work on the relationships between students and professors and also among students,’’ he wrote.
He also added that he hoped students who have any problems feel free to knock on his door.
``I have nothing to say but sorry to the KAIST students who have to endure the immense stress from the competition and also sympathize those who have lost direction in their lives,’’ he added.
잇단 KAIST 학생 자살, 문제는..
한국 과학 영재들의 집합체로 불리는 카이스트에 또 한번의 자살사건이 일어났다. 이로써 올해 들어 카이스트에서 자살을 한 학생은 총 3명이 되었다.
아파트 경비원은 아파트 근처에서 쓰러진 장(25)씨를 발견, 병원으로 옮겼으나 장씨는 끝내 숨졌다. 서울에서 고등학교를 졸업한 장씨는 군대를 다녀온 복학생이었다. 경찰 조사에서 그가 4년 전 조울증으로 병원에 입원한 적이 있다는 것도 밝혀졌다.
카이스트는 1월에 본교 학생이 자살한 후 자살방지 위원회를 설립했지만 총 3명의 학생이 자살함에 따라 위원회에 대한 불신이 커져가고 있는 실정이다.
카이스트의 정재승 교수는 자살 소식을 접하고 트위터에 학생에 대한 학교의 관심이 하다며 힘든 일이 있는 학생은 제발 본인 사무실 문을 두드려달라는 말을 남기며 안타까움을 표했다.
![[INTERVIEW] Production company AStory expects great success with 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' franchise](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/06bfe09b25694aafbd347202cbad4257.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
