Middle School Students Form Hierarchy to Force Bullying and Violence, Education Office Launches Probe

Education authorities and police have launched an investigation after allegations surfaced that middle school students in Gwangyang, South Jeolla-Gwangju, ranked their peers and subjected them to coercion and violence.

According to the Jeolla-Gwangju Unified Metropolitan Office of Education on the 8th, a report was filed stating that first-year students at a middle school in Gwangyang formed a private organization and harassed their peers for months.

The report stated that some students formed a group called the "Successor Association," designating themselves as number one and ranking other students down to number six.

It was reported that students were forced to call those with higher rankings "hyung" (older brother) and use honorifics, while also being banned from using elevators and the health room, and forced to wait in a "wall-sit" position when gathered.

Investigations showed that students who failed to obey orders from higher-ranking students were assaulted, such as being slapped, and lower-ranking students were even made to fight each other under the pretext of games.

The education office suspended the students identified as perpetrators, separated them from the victims on campus, and initiated a school violence investigation.

Three students with a high level of involvement have been reported to the police on charges including assault.

An official from the unified education office said, "The school violence committee will determine the level of disciplinary action after conducting an investigation."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.