Speech Therapist Accused of Child Abuse in Incheon
A speech therapist in their 30s, working at a welfare center for the disabled in Incheon, has been referred to the prosecution on charges of child abuse. The suspect is accused of physically mistreating children under their care, framing the actions as 'treatment' when they were in fact acts of violence.
Discovery of the Abuse
The crimes were uncovered during a routine check of the center's Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) system. The footage revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior during one-on-one sessions:
- The therapist was seen twisting the noses of a student.
- The therapist was captured hitting the foreheads and chins of children.
- In one case, parents identified 8 to 9 separate instances of suspected abuse within a single child's records.
Investigation and Legal Action
Following reports from the parents of three children, police analyzed three months of CCTV footage from October to December of last year. This analysis expanded the number of identified victims to eight children.
Legal Note: Under the Child Welfare Act of South Korea, any act that causes physical or mental harm to a child—regardless of whether it is claimed to be for 'educational' or 'therapeutic' purposes—can be classified as child abuse.
Accountability and Oversight
While the therapist is being prosecuted, the director of the welfare center was not booked, as police found no evidence of negligence in supervision. However, advocacy groups, including the Incheon Solidarity for the Elimination of Disability Discrimination, are calling for a full investigation of all 14 children who participated in the therapist's program and are demanding stricter periodic oversight by local authorities.
