“The nine-tailed fox will take you away”... ‘Ghost discipline’ that makes children cry prompts an on-site child-abuse investigation [What do you think?]

[Financial News] A fall festival program at the Korean Folk Village, in which actors dressed as ghosts discipline preschoolers by frightening them, has become embroiled in controversy over child abuse, prompting the local government to launch an on-site investigation.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo on the 9th, Yongin City plans to visit the Korean Folk Village this month with child experts and police to inspect how the program is being run. The move follows demands from some citizens to suspend the program, after they saw a video titled ‘Ghost Discipline’ on social media and called it emotional abuse.
‘Ghost Discipline’ is one of the programs at the Korean Folk Village’s fall festival, ‘Gwisin Saba Ghost Play.’ In it, actors dressed as ghosts scare young children as a way of disciplining them.
A video posted on YouTube channel ‘Sokchon Assi’ on the 2nd shows someone disciplining a child who reportedly throws things when angry, asking, “Are you going to throw things or not?”
The same video also shows a child bursting into tears after being frightened with the words, “The nine-tailed fox will come and take you away,” when the child reportedly throws a tantrum about not wanting to brush their teeth before bed.

Online reactions to the video were divided between criticism—“Isn’t this child abuse?” and “The children will be traumatized”—and defenses such as “People are too sensitive” and “Do they not know what real child abuse is?”
Around 10 related complaints have been filed with Yongin City, and a petition has reportedly also been submitted to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK). A Yongin City official said, “The identity of one preschool-aged child who took part in the event has been established, and we are checking the facts.”

Yongin City and government agencies are taking a cautious stance, however. The event is held with parental consent, and there is almost no precedent for considering discipline through fear to be child abuse.
A Yongin City official said, “This is the first case of its kind,” adding, “It has not even been established by a court ruling, and it seems difficult to impose sanctions at this stage.”
An official at the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, “We need to consider whether this is a matter that warrants a legal response,” adding, “If it is recognized as child abuse, that could open the door to interpreting amusement-park haunted houses the same way, among other significant knock-on issues.” The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, which received a similar complaint, transferred the matter to the Ministry of Justice.
The Korean Folk Village says it follows its own operating guidelines, including not proceeding unless a parent brings the child and stopping if the child becomes distressed.
A Korean Folk Village official said, “Some people say they are uncomfortable with it, but some parents like it, which makes it difficult to make a judgment on the spot.” The event, which began last September for Halloween, is scheduled to end on the 15th.
Experts warn that discipline using fear can have adverse effects. Kwak Gi-hyeon, a psychiatrist, explained that if preschoolers are suddenly exposed to a frightening situation without prior explanation, they may develop temporary sleep problems or symptoms of anxiety or avoidance, depending on the child.
Ha Hui-bong, head attorney at Lopid Law Office, said, “It is difficult to regard a child being frightened on a single occasion as abuse,” but added, “If parents repeatedly took a child who was afraid, it could be recognized as emotional abuse, potentially leading to punishment for violating the Child Welfare Act.”

[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter