A group of middle school students in Sejong City has been accused of repeatedly assaulting and robbing a classmate to finance their online gambling.

The gang reportedly stole amounts between 2,000 to 20,000 won from the victim on 20 occasions between December and the end of March. Two of the accused students sent threatening messages demanding money from the victim.

The victim's parents claim their son was coerced into providing his bank account number, which the alleged bullies used to receive rewards for signing up to gambling sites.

The victim could not endure the physical abuse and humiliation, leading him to seek psychological treatment.

The parents have hired a lawyer and plan to file a police report against the accused students.

In response, the Sejong City Office of Education convened a meeting of the Reconciliation Mediation Support Group to explore possible resolutions between the parties involved. If they fail to come to terms, a school violence committee will decide how to address the students' actions.