Teacher who wore stab-proof vest after death threats cleared of child abuse charges after 3 years

A teacher who made headlines for wearing a stab-proof vest to school after receiving death threats from a student has won a series of legal battles over violations of teacher rights, three years after the incident.

The North Jeolla Province branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union held a press conference at the North Jeolla Province Office of Education on Monday, announcing that Teacher A, known as the "stab-proof vest teacher," had effectively prevailed in all civil and criminal proceedings related to the case. The union called for amendments to the Child Welfare Act and the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, which it said were at the root of the problem.

The teacher, who worked at a high school in Gunsan at the time, wore the protective vest to class after a student made repeated threats in front of classmates, including statements such as "I'll kill you." Fearing for their life, the teacher's decision to wear the vest sparked widespread controversy.

After the school ruled that the student's conduct constituted a violation of teacher rights, the student's family appealed through an administrative review. The teacher then filed civil and criminal complaints, setting off a prolonged legal battle.

According to the union's North Jeolla branch, the civil case was recently resolved through mediation, with the student's side offering an apology to the teacher and paying a modest consolation sum.

Earlier, a final ruling in the second round of administrative litigation last September found that the student's conduct did constitute a violation of teacher rights.

Criminal complaints were also filed on both sides. Teacher A filed charges against Student B for alleged death threats and insults, while the student's parents filed a counter-complaint accusing the teacher of child abuse. Police and prosecutors dismissed both complaints, finding no grounds for charges.

The union's North Jeolla branch said the case showed that a teacher who suffered a violation of their rights was forced to endure three years of being reported for child abuse and fighting to clear their name. It described the incident as proof that the child abuse reporting system could be weaponized against teachers who were themselves victims of rights violations — going beyond merely chilling educational activity.

The union further called for legislative reform, arguing that teachers cannot escape the risk of being reported and investigated as long as vague child abuse standards are applied wholesale to classroom activities. It specifically demanded that teaching activities be excluded from the scope of "emotional abuse and neglect" under the Child Welfare Act.