A local court issued a warrant to formally arrest a daycare teacher accused of assaulting a 4-year-old girl in a widely reported case that has caused national uproar in South Korea.
Choi Ui-ho, a judge at the Incheon District Court, approved the arrest of the 33-year old female teacher at a daycare center in Incheon, a port city just west of Seoul, citing concerns that she may try to flee or destroy evidence.
Footage from security cameras showed the woman punched the child on the side of her head after seeing that she hasn’t finished her meal. The girl fell on the floor with her two legs up in the air.
After a court hearing, the teacher offered an apology over what she described as a “foolish act.”
Repeated calls to the court for comment went unanswered.
The case has sparked a public uproar and prompted the government and the ruling Saenuri Party to unveil a set of measures to toughen punishment for child abuse at daycare centers.
Under a “one-strike” guideline, any daycare center would be shut down if child abuse is found there, and the perpetrator and facility’s director will be permanently ostracized from the industry.
The plan would also require all daycare centers to install security cameras and disclose footage on parents’ request. (Yonhap)
