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Parents blame dance teacher for girls' deaths at Busan high school

Published: 24 Jun. 2025, 19:50

A parents’ association at a high school in Busan holds a press conference at 2 p.m. on June 24 in the Busan Metropolitan Council’s briefing room. [LEE EUN-JI]

Friction between students and a newly appointed dance instructor at a high school in Busan has emerged as a possible factor in the deaths of three teenage girls, prompting fresh scrutiny of the school’s leadership and culture.

Some parents had reportedly raised concerns about the instructor’s conduct months before the students died, but no action was taken until after the tragedy.

A parents’ association at a high school in Busan held a press conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Busan Metropolitan Council’s briefing room, stating, “Eleven out of 14 dance department instructors were replaced in January, and friction began between the new instructor and students soon after the semester began in March.”

“We requested a police investigation into the instructor's conduct on June 4, and the case is currently under investigation,” said the association. “We asked the school to separate the instructor from the students after the deaths, and only then was the instructor removed from class.”

The director of a dance academy that one of the deceased students attended also testified, “About a month or two into the new semester, students began to express discomfort about the instructor.” She added, “There were aspects that didn’t align with the students’ level of understanding, and some confided that they didn’t want to take after-school classes, so I advised them not to attend.”

An emergency help button installed on Seoul’s Mapo Bridge, a known suicide spot [NEWS1]

While the deceased students reportedly left notes describing severe academic pressure and anxiety about college admissions, their grades were said to be good. The director stated that one of the students “placed highly in competitions and ranked first in school performance evaluations,” and added that “their academic performance was not poor.”

As parents call for a thorough investigation into the students’ deaths, the police and the Busan Metropolitan Office of Education have launched a detailed probe into the case. The Haeundae Police Precinct in Busan said Tuesday that it is questioning the students’ families and others around them to determine their recent activities and possible motives.

“With the families’ consent, we plan to conduct digital forensics on the students’ mobile phones and analyze the detailed cause and circumstances of their deaths afterward,” said an official from the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency.

A SOS Life Line phone box is seen at Mapo Bridge in Seoul on Feb. 24. [NEWS1]

The Busan education office will begin a special audit of the school, starting June 25. The school has been under the management of a temporary board since 2014 due to legal disputes between the foundation’s founder and board chair.

Conflicts between the foundation and school members have been ongoing. A representative from the office’s audit division said, “Since the school has been under a government-appointed board, there have been many complaints over the years,” and added, “We plan to question school officials to identify structural issues behind the recent deaths, including previously filed complaints.”

The education office is also moving to replace members of the school’s foundation board. It has recommended replacements for four recently resigned government-appointed board members to the Private School Dispute Resolution Committee. The four outgoing members included three education experts and one in public administration, while the remaining three members reportedly include a lawyer and an accountant.

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM MIN-JU, LEE EUN-JI [[email protected]]