Police have launched a forced investigation into the case of the late nurse Kang Soo-bin, who died after reporting workplace bullying, a practice known as "taeum," in Gyeonggi Province's Gwangju.

The dedicated investigation team from the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency's Metropolitan Investigation Unit conducted a four-hour search starting at 8:30 a.m. today (July 23) at the hospital where Kang worked and the residences of three individuals linked to the case.

Kang joined the hospital in March 2023, suffered from workplace bullying, and reported it to labor authorities upon resigning in March of last year. However, the hospital merely issued a reprimand to the accused colleagues, and Kang was found dead at home on June 2 of this year.

The case became widely known through media reports, sparking public fury over the "taeum" culture.

President Lee Jae-myung also addressed the incident on social media, stating, "Taeum is a horrifying form of violence that can never be justified," and ordered a strict response.

Taeum is a slang term referring to a practice and culture where senior nurses harass new nurses while training them, reportedly originating from the expression "burning them until they turn to ash."

Police formed a dedicated investigation team on June 2 and formally booked the three individuals accused as perpetrators.

About three weeks later, investigators were dispatched to secure internal messenger chat logs and records of interviews regarding the victim.

Police had previously called in Kang's bereaved family and acquaintances as reference witnesses, and have analyzed documents related to the bullying, including the deceased's diary and laptop.

On July 20, following the 49th-day Buddhist memorial service held in front of the hospital where Kang worked, the bereaved family stated, "We hope all three perpetrators have their licenses revoked and that the hospital management and executives are strictly punished."

Reported by Kim Taewon | Video by Lee Dain | Graphics by Lee Sumin | Produced by SBS Digital News