Taekwondo master forcibly stretched the child's legs 60 times before placing them on the mat for a 4-year-old.

The head instructor, who is accused of abusing a 4-year-old boy at his Taekwondo school and causing him to fall into a coma, is attending a pre-trial detention hearing (warrant review) at the Uijeongbu District Court in Gyeonggi Province on July 14. /News1

A 30-year-old director, who is accused of abusing and killing a 4-year-old child at his Taekwondo school, has been brought to trial on charges of child abuse resulting in death.

Uijeongbu District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 7th that they have detained and indicted A (38), the director, on charges of child abuse resulting in death. A is accused of wrapping B around 12:00 PM last month at a taekwondo gym in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, and placing him upside down inside a mat, then leaving him unattended for 27 minutes. B was transported to the hospital in cardiac arrest but ultimately died on the morning of the 23rd, last month, after 11 days. The National Forensic Service determined the cause of B's death as 'brain damage due to suffocation.'

During the police investigation, Mr. A claimed it was a joke, but the prosecution believed that Mr. A had intent to murder Boy B and applied charges of child abuse resulting in death.

According to the prosecution, Mr. A was investigated for ignoring and neglecting B when B shouted for help. It was also revealed that the taekwondo instructor told B to be taken out but refused.

The prosecution stated, "Although the inside of the rolled-up and stood-up mattress was only 18 to 23 cm in diameter, Mr. A forcibly pushed B into it with his head facing downward," and "Although the security camera inside the enema room allowed us to monitor B's condition, they continued to neglect him for a long period."

The prosecution also confirmed that security camera footage showed that Mr. A had abused Mr. B before placing him in the mat. According to the prosecution, Mr. A repeatedly hit Mr. B's face and body with his hands and feet, and excessively tore Mr. B's leg about 60 times.

The prosecution also confirmed that Mr. A did not take appropriate rescue measures and attempted to destroy evidence. When B was not breathing, Mr. A transferred him to an ENT hospital in the same building, then immediately returned to the scene and deleted security camera footage showing signs of abuse. The prosecution stated, "Mr. A, who has completed child sports studies including emergency rescue courses, did not properly perform rescue measures such as CPR."

Meanwhile, on the 19th of last month, Mr. A responded to reporters' questions asking if he admitted to abuse allegations by saying, "No, I love the child too much."

<Source: Chosun Ilbo>