"I’ll Give You My Loyalty, Bro"... School Thrown Into Turmoil Over a 'Succession Club' Created by First-Year Middle School Students

[Financial News] Education authorities and police have launched an investigation after a report was filed alleging that first-year students at a middle school in Gwangyang, Gwangju Integrated City, formed an informal group called the 'Succession Club,' ranked their classmates, and subjected them to harsh treatment, including assault.

According to the Jeonnam Gwangju Integrated Special City Office of Education on the 8th, a report was filed alleging that first-year students at a middle school in Gwangyang formed an informal group and bullied their classmates for several months.
Some students reportedly created an organization called the 'Succession Club,' referred to themselves as No. 1, and ranked other students from No. 2 to No. 6.
They allegedly established rank-based rules, such as requiring students to call those with higher numbers 'big brothers' and use honorific language. They also reportedly banned lower-ranked students from using elevators or the school nurse’s office and forced them to wait in a 'transparent chair' position when gathering.
The report also alleged that students slapped those who disobeyed orders from higher-ranked members and made lower-ranked students fight one another under the pretext of playing a game.

The case was also covered the previous day by JTBC’s 'Sageon Banjang.' The informant, identified as the victim’s father and referred to as Mr. A, said he noticed bruises in various places on his son’s body but initially thought they had resulted from playing with friends. He later learned about the alleged abuse through a 'reflection statement' his son brought home from school.
Mr. A’s son was designated as No. 6 in the 'Succession Club' last April. Although he refused, other students allegedly chased him and forcibly assigned him a rank by writing a number on the back of his hand.
Mr. A later claimed that his son was assaulted approximately 20 times in classrooms, private academies, restaurants, and other places, including being slapped, struck on the shoulder, and poked with pencils and ballpoint pens. He also said the boy was forced to eat nine Cheongyang chili peppers at once and subjected to other harsh treatment, including being made to hold a push-up position.
The school reportedly became aware of the allegations while the students were assigning a new No. 7.
The education office suspended the students identified as alleged perpetrators and separated them from the victim at school before launching an investigation into school violence. Three students believed to have played a major role were reported to police on suspicion of assault and other offenses.
An official from the integrated education office said, "The School Violence Committee will determine the level of disciplinary action after completing its investigation."
The victim’s family has reported the students involved to police. Mr. A told 'Sageon Banjang,' "I will use every available legal and administrative measure and respond until the end."
[email protected] Ahn Ga-eul Reporter