The story behind the vicious attack on this handicapped student shines light on a disturbing truth

An investigation involving a group of university students has begun after it was revealed that they had been harassing a disabled classmate.

Following a post by the victim’s father’s friend, the photos and story regarding this incident have spread quickly through the internet. It was reported that a group of five students bullied the disabled student in a variety of ways, both physical and emotional.

For example, they had locked him in his room for four days, tied his hands behind his back and taped them onto a plastic hanger and beating him, pulled his genitals, did not allow him to use the restroom, forced him to stay awake by sitting in a particular position, put a wet rag in his mouth and taped his entire body before beating him again, and much more.

The group of students claimed this abuse was because “he didn’t pay back the money he owed.”

The school currently denies parts of the abuse such as stealing the student’s card and also claims the student is not disabled.

However, the post was widely read and spread on the internet as it gave light to the serious issue of bullying in the country. In a survey conducted by the Education Ministry in 2013, results revealed that more than 77,000 students were victims of bullying in school and at least 10% of those students confessed to have considered suicide. This is linked to previous reports that considers suicide as the main cause of death amongst Korean teenagers due to school violence and domestic problems.

univeristy student bullying
Photo: From the original online post showing some of the bruises and scars from the bullying

Netizens were shocked upon hearing this news:

1. [+3,790, -32] They seriously beat him because he owed them money? Those students don’t deserve a college education at all. Expel them and show them just how scary the law can be with a prison sentence so that this doesn’t happen again.

2. [+3,266, -29] What’s the point of graduating college when you’re not even a human being

3. [+2,784, -193] Jeez… college isn’t what it used to be.

4. [+249, -7] Please reveal the faces and names of the kids so that it can set an example for the rest of them.

5. [+220, -2] You would think that at college age, you would’ve matured enough to grow out of the bullying from junior and high school.. looks like there are plenty of people who aren’t quite the adults that college students are expected to be.

Source: Chosun Ilbo via NaverYonhap News via Naver and HuffingtonPost