Yoon directs Education Ministry to eradicate school bullying

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers an address at a commencement ceremony at Yonsei University in central Seoul on Monday. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

President Yoon Suk Yeol instructed the Ministry of Education to swiftly come up with measures to eradicate school violence Monday following a bullying controversy surrounding the son of a recent government appointee.

In a meeting with meeting with senior aides, Yoon ordered the Education Ministry to "work together with local education offices and other related agencies to come up with measures to eradicate school violence as promptly as possible," according to Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary for press affairs.

The remarks come two days after Yoon canceled the appointment of Chung Sun-sin as chief of the police's National Office of Investigation on Saturday following revelations that Chung's son had been punished for bullying a peer in high school.

This resulted in public backlash over the vetting procedure of appointees despite the Yoon administration's efforts to reform the process.

Yoon told Education Minister Lee Ju-ho to take lead in coming up with "comprehensive measures" centered on his ministry, to end school violence and stressed that it is "important to establish order and a law-abiding spirit among students, parents, teachers and schools in an educational setting," said Lee Do-woon, the presidential spokesman, in a briefing Monday.

The president especially stressed that "one-sided, continuous and collective violence must be thoroughly eradicated from the educational field," according to Lee.

On Friday, Yoon appointed Chung as the new chief of the National Office of Investigation in charge of commanding police investigation forces nationwide, which drew some controversy as Chung has spent over 20 years as a prosecutor.

Broadcaster KBS reported Friday evening that Chung's son had verbally abused a classmate for eight months in high school in 2017, causing the victim to suffer severe psychological trauma and led to a suicide attempt. The school punished Chung's son by asking him to transfer to another high school.

Chung, a prosecutor-turned-lawyer, later took the case to court. A lower court ruled in favor of the school, and Chung appealed the case. In 2019, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling and Chung's son had to transfer to another school, though he is now enrolled at Seoul National University. The victim reportedly suffers from the trauma to this day.

Amid mounting public criticism, Chung announced his intention to withdraw from the post on Saturday in a statement and asked for forgiveness from the victim and his parents for his son's actions.

In light over the belated revelations, Yoon canceled his appointment of Chung Saturday just one day after it was made.

Chung was recommended by National Police Agency Commissioner General Yoon Hee-keun, who is also receiving flak for not vetting the candidate properly.

Also on Monday, Yoon gave a commencement address to the graduating class of Yonsei University in central Seoul, where he pledged to create a "freer and fairer society."

He emphasized "rapid growth and innovation" to the graduates, which he said is "born in a place where freedom and creativity are respected, and fair opportunities are guaranteed."

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]