Social service worker cleared of child abuse charges after moving student on teacher's orders

A social service worker at a special education school in Seoul who had been under investigation on child abuse charges after moving an unruly student with disabilities at a teacher's direction has been cleared of all charges.

The case has drawn attention to a broader gap in legal protections for support staff — such as social service workers — at special education schools. Unlike certified teachers, such staff face investigations without institutional safeguards when physical interventions made for student safety lead to abuse reports.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office cleared social service worker Kim, 24, and physical education teacher A of charges of violating the Child Welfare Act on Sept. 24, citing insufficient evidence, according to CBS Nocut News on Tuesday.

Police had also forwarded the case to prosecutors on Sept. 22 with a recommendation of no charges against Kim and the others involved.

Kim and Teacher A, both working at the special education school, were booked on child abuse charges after they physically moved a ninth-grade male student, identified as B, during a physical education class on July 15.

B, who weighed about 80 kilograms, had lain down on the floor and gone limp, making him difficult to control. At the direction of the homeroom teacher present, Kim and Teacher A each took hold of one of B's arms and moved him to the back of the classroom to help him calm down.

Bruising was later found on B's armpits, and a third party filed a child abuse complaint, triggering the investigation.

B's father submitted a handwritten statement to police saying he did not wish to see anyone punished. He noted that his son was often difficult to manage through conversation and prone to stubbornness, and that what happened was the kind of thing that could occur during supervision.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education also submitted a written opinion from the superintendent to investigators, stating that Teacher A's actions constituted legitimate student guidance.

The local district office likewise closed the case as a general matter rather than a child abuse case after conducting its own review.

"After reviewing the evidence, including statements from those involved, and convening a case review committee, we determined that the incident could not be considered child abuse," a district office official said.