Korean Job Discussion Forums

CabbageTownRoyals · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

I live next door to a kindergarten here in Itaewan. In the last month, something has occurred a few times which has really disturbed me and my mother who is visiting me at the moment and has been here both times its happened....
Incidentally she is also a teacher and works with special needs/autistic kids and has a lot of experience with child development issues, teaching/discipline methods etc, its her field. She is horrified at what she's seen.

The first time it was a tiny little boy. We think whats happening is the kids are being punished for wetting themselves. This backdoor opens and the kids are pushed out onto this balcany, screaming at the top of their lungs once they get outside. This is right outside my bedroom window..
Its FREEZING and there is still snow on the ground here....the kids are naked, or with their pants around their feet like this one. The other day it was a tiny boy, much smaller, probably about 2 years old. Both times they've been out there for about 15 minutes, shaking and screaming. And you can tell from the way these kids are screaming, they're terrified, not just upset Sad

And when the woman inside finally opened the door she just grabbed the child by the arm and yanked her inside really aggressively.
We believe this is child abuse - isolating a small child like this in the freezing cold is not the answer....
Further, there is no one to call, doesn't seem to be much in the way of child protection organizations in Korea.

I tried to get the woman's attention (she couldn't see me, so didn't know I was a foreigner) but I was just so angry that I yelled "ha-ji-ma" (don't do that) in rude Korean... Maybe not the best idea, and it still hasn't stopped.

Hopefully some Koreans will read this, expose the kindergarten..

Photos taken: Friday 25th Jan 4:30pm

CabbageTownRoyals · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

I don't know if I made it clear...the kid in the photo is the oldest one, I didn't think to take a photo of the little boy last week, who could barely stand he was so cold.

He was probably about 2 years old Shocked

Is there anywhere to report this situation?

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

What days would you say this has happened? What was the coldest temperature you've observed this happening at?

SHANE02 · Joined: 04 Jun 2003

Call the Police. It's child abuse.

CabbageTownRoyals · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

Control Z · Joined: 20 Jun 2007 Location: Anyang

That is so sad and disturbing to see. It's really stomach-turning.

Can you report the abuse to the local police and show them the pictures you've taken? The abuse is horrible, of course, and parents are sending their children to the kindergarten with the idea that they're being cared for and protected. God forbid one of these scared children decided to go down the stairs and wander off...or fell off the platform.

It makes one's blood boil. I'm sure witnessing these events has soured your Mother's stay.

Truly awful. Please post updates on this situation. Thanks.

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Report this to the authorities immediately.

jade · Joined: 01 May 2005 Location: seoul

OMG! This is very upsetting to see this poor little child standing out in the cold like that. Please, Please do everything you can to help these kids. I know as a Mother, that if something like that happened to my children I would want to know so that I could take measures to stop it, like not send my children to that School.

Julius · Joined: 27 Jul 2006

They will have to bring in new laws requiring korean teachers to have national criminal checks . Apostilled no less.

kimchi_pizza · Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2008 1:08 am Post subject:

That's outrageous! R.T., I hope you do get those and other pics out to the Korean internet mob. That's probably the best chance of getting it stopped and those responsible punished. That's bullshyte!

Billy Pilgrim · Joined: 08 Sep 2004

Back on topic - get someone that you work with to do something. Show the pictures to every Korean that you know till something is done.

korea252 · Joined: 17 Jul 2006 Location: Seoul, Haebangchon

Let us know what happens - whatever you do.
Heartbreaking to see a kid (or anyone) being treated like that. And in sub-zero temps aswell.
By the way, as a parent I'll someday be choosing a kindy for my little one please let me know where in Itaewon this is as I wouldn't want to even consider it. (PM me if you're not happy naming names on this forum).

RACETRAITOR · Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Location: Seoul, South Korea

The temperatures have been fluctuating a lot lately. Last Wednesday was the coldest, and this Wednesday got really cold again, then Thursday warmed up but it was still cold, and today is a little closer to 0.

kiwiduncan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Location: New Zealand

That's so horrible to see. There's absolutely no excuse at all for that kind of abuse.

I found the Korean Council of Children's Organizations on the net.

http://www.kocconet.or.kr/

Their email address is [email protected]

Also this following site allows people to report child abuse. It advises people to report child abuse even if they only suspect it and lists all the occasions when members of the public are advised to make a report (including children being exposed to bad weather with inadequate clothing).

Unfortunately it's entirely in Korean and you need a Korean citizen id number in order to make a report. I'm sure one of your Korean friends or co-workers will hlep you out.

http://budget.daedeok.go.kr/ctnt/chld/cusl/03/cusl.03.001.html

Good luck with it. Please let us know how it goes.

Cheers,

Duncan

Join Me · Joined: 14 Jan 2008

Go to a printer and have these photos printed. Pin them up around your neighborhood beginning with the door of this "business." Leave a note in Korean (or English...they will have someone translate it to them) telling them you will continue to post these photos until they are out of business. This will stop immediately. No Korean parent would knowingly allow this to happen to their child.