Skating instructor accused of child abuse, prosecutors acquitted... “Legitimate safety guidance”

He was accused of pulling a child's clothes, knocking him down and neglecting him during class.
Prosecutors “It is difficult to acknowledge that what occurred during the guidance process was intentional child abuse.”
 

An instructor who was accused of intentionally pulling a child's clothes and causing him to fall during a skating lesson was acquitted after a prosecutor's investigation.

According to the Cheongju District Prosecutors' Office on the 14th, no charges were issued against Mr. A, a man in his 20s who was handed over to the prosecution on March 23 on charges of violating the Child Welfare Act (child abuse).

While giving skating lessons at an ice rink in November 2025, Mr. A was accused of abusing children, such as pulling on the clothes of student B, causing him to fall, or grabbing his legs and pushing him.

In response to this, Mr. A completely denied the charges, saying that he only grabbed the hem of Boy B's clothes to prevent him from starting ahead of other children on the ice, and that he continued to play pranks without following instructions.

The prosecution stated the reason for non-indictment, saying, “Considering that the child victim was wearing safety gear and had no significant injuries, and that the relationship was amicable to the extent that the child played a prank on the suspect right before the incident, it is difficult to admit that there was intent to abuse the child.”

In addition, the prosecution noted that the act occurred while the suspect was guiding several children alone, and added, “Asking responsibility solely for actions or results that occurred during the guidance process without specific acts of harm may make the suspect, who is responsible for both safety and guidance, passive, which could result in neglect.”

Attorney Nam Sang-gwan of Daeryun Law Firm, who is Mr. A's legal representative, said, “We focused on the dangerous environmental characteristics of the ice surface and the duty to prevent safety accidents given to instructors. We were able to achieve a good result by legally demonstrating that the suspect's actions were not physical or emotional abuse prohibited by the Child Welfare Act, but an inevitable and justified act of educational guidance to protect the safety of the instructors.”

Intern reporter Yujin Lim iyj721@kyeonggi.com

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Skating instructor accused of child abuse, prosecutors acquit... “Legitimate Safety Guidance” (Shortcut)