"Let's Die Together Today" ... Teacher in 30s Threatens Students with Stun Gun at School Gate

[Financial News] A teacher in their 30s at a middle school in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, was arrested after threatening students arriving at school with a stun gun. No students were injured, and education authorities immediately removed the teacher from duty.
According to Gumi Police Station and other sources, a report was received at 8:14 a.m. on the 18th that Teacher A was threatening students with a stun gun at the gate of a middle school in Gumi.
A reportedly shouted at students arriving at school for about 10 minutes, saying, "You're going to die today" and "Let's die together." Police responding to the report arrested A at the scene.
No students or teachers were injured or subjected to physical contact during the incident, according to reports.
According to the school, A arrived at work as usual that day, told fellow teachers that they would supervise students arriving at school, then went to the gate and caused a disturbance.
A reportedly had a history of taking medication related to depression. The teacher had recently clashed with colleagues over issues including student guidance and had also reportedly experienced conflicts with coworkers at a previous school. However, A is not believed to have ever been disciplined for work-related conduct.
Police determined that A posed a risk of harming themselves or others and arranged for the teacher to be admitted to a local hospital on an emergency basis.
The Gumi Office of Education dispatched more than 10 professional counseling teachers to the school immediately after A's arrest to provide psychological counseling to students. It informed parents of the incident and decided to maintain a 24-hour, one-on-one emergency counseling system for the time being for students experiencing severe anxiety. The office is also considering legal measures, including an order barring A from approaching students.
An official from the Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education said, "The teacher who caused the disturbance was immediately removed from duty, and once the police investigation begins, we plan to take measures such as relieving the teacher of their position. We will reexamine related systems, including psychological support for teachers, and devise measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring."
Once A is discharged, police plan to investigate the exact circumstances of the incident and whether the teacher had engaged in emotional abuse of students, which would constitute a violation of the Child Welfare Act.
[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter