Updated Nov.7,2006 12:05 KST

Video Sparks Fresh Row Over Corporal Punishment
A video clip captured by a high school student of a classmate¡¯s beating at the hands of their teacher.
A video taken with a cell phone by a Seoul-area high school student that shows a teacher hitting another student is causing controversy.

The first-year high school student walked into her seventh period class late, where the teacher forced the girl to her knees and then struck her on the shoulders with a broom multiple times. Other students in the class filmed the incident with their mobile phones, and when the child¡¯s parents saw the video they headed to the school the next day to demand a formal apology and the reprimand of the girl¡¯s teacher.

The school says it has apologized to the parents and promised to ensure it does not happen again. ¡°We acknowledge that the incident constituted excessive corporal punishment,¡± it said. ¡°A letter of warning has been sent to the teacher and the incident has been reported to the office of education.¡±

(englishnews@chosun.com )