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South Gyeongsang principal investigated for sexually harassing new teacher

Published: 04 Nov. 2025, 17:23

The Masan Jungbu Police Station [GYEONGNAM PROVINCIAL POLICE]

Police have launched an investigation into a middle school principal accused of sexually harassing a newly hired teacher, according to authorities on Tuesday.

The Masan Jungbu Police Precinct said it charged the principal without detention for indecent assault.

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The suspect is accused of making unwanted physical contact, such as linking arms and making sexually inappropriate remarks toward a female teacher in April. The teacher had joined the school about a month earlier.

The victim reported the incident to police in September, and the suspect has partially denied the allegations.

After the complaint was filed, the principal and the teacher were separated. The suspect was suspended from duty as of Oct. 1, according to the police.

Investigators said they plan to refer the suspect to prosecutors soon after completing their inquiry.

The South Gyeongsang chapter of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union called for strong punishment in a statement issued on Tuesday.

“The victim’s dream of becoming a teacher turned into a nightmare within a month,” the statement said, adding that lenient treatment of the perpetrator would amount to condoning sexual harassment and enabling abuse of power by education authorities and police.

The Gyeongsangnamdo Office of Education said on the same day that it “recognizes the case as a very serious matter” and is prioritizing disciplinary measures against the suspect and protection of the victim.

It added that an investigation involving external experts had been conducted and that the suspect would face disciplinary action following internal review procedures.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]