Incheon daycare teachers receive suspended sentences for child abuse

Two daycare teachers in Incheon, South Korea, have received suspended prison sentences for the habitual physical and emotional abuse of children aged 2 to 3. The Incheon District Court sentenced a 65-year-old teacher to 10 months in prison with a two-year suspension, and a 30-year-old colleague to 18 months in prison with a three-year suspension.

Between March and April 2024, the pair allegedly committed 196 instances of abuse at a daycare center in Seo-gu. The investigation revealed that the older teacher committed 69 acts, including hitting a child in the forehead with a toy and using a single wet wipe to wipe the mouths and noses of five different children. The younger teacher was responsible for 127 acts, including hitting a child on the back.

The court ordered both individuals to attend 40 hours of child abuse treatment lectures and imposed a five-year ban on employment at child-related institutions. The judge noted that while the defendants' actions caused physical and mental developmental issues for the children and significant distress to parents, the sentences reflected their admission of guilt, lack of prior criminal records, and partial settlements or deposits made to victims.