▲ Gambling
It was confirmed today (June 22) that 48 students from a single high school confessed to gambling following a month-long campaign by the National Police Agency to encourage youth to self-report cyber gambling activities.
Nationwide, 294 cases were reported (244 by the students themselves and 50 by guardians), reflecting the reality of the school-based gambling addiction depicted in the popular Netflix drama "True Education."
High School A in the Gangwon region saw the highest number of self-reports in the country, with 48 students coming forward.
Including 20 students from the nearby High School B, a total of 78 students in the Gangwon region have self-reported.
To encourage self-reporting, the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency distributed business cards for School Police Officers (SPOs) that included their Instagram IDs and actively utilized direct messages (DMs), a platform familiar to teenagers.
In Incheon, a 15-year-old male student self-reported after assaulting his mother for refusing to pay off his 4 million won gambling debt and subsequently attempting to take his own life.
The total amount he had gambled reached 30 million won.
The student is set to receive follow-up care, including counseling at a gambling problem prevention and treatment center and participation in addiction recovery programs at a psychiatric hospital.
Secondary crimes committed to fund gambling were also identified.
One notable case involves a 17-year-old out-of-school youth in North Jeolla Province, identified as C, who habitually ran away from home and committed vehicle break-ins to secure gambling funds.
Over a period of 1 year and 2 months, C had deposited 16 million won into gambling sites.
Authorities determined his addiction was severe and connected him to an addiction recovery program and a youth shelter.
According to the National Police Agency, the youth who self-reported had been gambling for an average of 12 months, with an average stake of 3 million won.
The highest individual amount reached 60 million won.
By gender, males accounted for the vast majority at 274 individuals (93%).
Cyber gambling has permeated not only high schools (176 students, 60%) but also middle schools (118 students, 40%).
The government plans to continue the self-reporting program until the end of August.
The program is open to youth under the age of 19 who have experience with cyber gambling, as well as their guardians.
All reports can be made through the 117 School Violence Reporting and Counseling Center.
Once a self-report is received, School Police Officers and professional gambling addiction counselors immediately conduct consultations and screening tests, connecting the individuals to specialized treatment institutions based on the results.
When determining police-level dispositions, authorities plan to show maximum leniency—such as issuing warnings or requesting summary trials—by comprehensively reviewing the amount gambled, the student's attitude of remorse, and their progress in treatment, following a joint review and deliberation by the Pre-trial Diversion Committee at each police station.
Furthermore, School Police Officers and professional counselors from the Korea Center on Gambling Problems and Healing will provide ongoing support through continuous counseling for the students involved.
(Photo: Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.