Webtoon artist Joo Ho-min said he is preparing to establish an alternative school for children with developmental disabilities who fall between special schools and general schools. Joo also said, regarding the case in which he filed a complaint against his son's special-education teacher that is awaiting a Supreme Court decision, "Whatever the result, I will go my own way."
On the 10th, in a video titled Go my own way posted to his YouTube channel "Jupeol," Joo explained social perceptions and the educational environment for people with developmental disabilities, as well as recent updates. He said, "We ended up building a school," adding, "There are a huge number of children in the gray area who cannot go to special schools or general schools."
Joo said his son got through school life relatively smoothly in first grade of elementary school but then faced various difficulties. He explained, "His condition is good enough that he could go to a special school, but there are many children who struggle in inclusive or general classes," adding, "We describe being unable to attend either a special school or a general school as the 'gray area.'"
He said he had continued a self-help group for about three years with neighbors who had similar concerns. A self-help group is a gathering where people facing similar difficulties, or their families, share experiences and support each other. After that, they agreed on the need for a place where children with developmental disabilities could study and began preparing to establish an alternative school. Joo said, "Let's create a school where these kids can study," adding, "We are preparing various things now and plan to start small." He continued, "In the end, it turned out just like the line, 'If that's the case, why go to school at all? You teach.'"
Joo also addressed social perceptions of people with developmental disabilities. He said, "Because there are few chances to interact with people with developmental disabilities, it seems people don't know how to act," adding, "It would be good to get used to one another by living and spending time together, but people these days can't tolerate suffering even a single inconvenience." He went on, "People ask why they should be forced to be considerate," adding, "From the standpoint of those who cause harm, it's hard even to ask for understanding."
He also mentioned the special-education teacher case that is awaiting a Supreme Court decision. Joo said, "Wasn't there a guilty verdict in the first trial and an acquittal in the second?" adding, "The reason the second trial acquitted was that the recording containing abusive remarks was made secretly and thus could not be used as evidence. This incident became something that, legally, does not exist."
Joo said, "If you didn't make the recording yourself, it won't be admitted as evidence," adding, "The issue is how to view cases where abuse of people with disabilities or older adults, who have difficulty clearly expressing their intent, is captured by a recorder." He added, "At the core is whether the value of protecting the secrecy of communications takes precedence, or protecting victims does."
The case began when special-education teacher A was indicted on charges of making emotionally abusive remarks to Joo Ho-min's son in a tailored learning class at an elementary school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, in Sept. 2022. Joo's side submitted an audio file obtained with a recorder placed in his son's backpack to investigators.
In Feb. 2024, the Suwon District Court's first trial panel recognized the evidentiary value of the audio file and suspended a fine of 2 million won for A. It found some remarks to be emotional abuse. However, in May 2025, the appellate court overturned the lower court and acquitted A, saying, "The audio file and transcript constitute an undisclosed conversation between third parties under the Protection of Communications Secrets Act and cannot be used as evidence." The prosecution appealed, and the case moved to the Supreme Court.
Regarding this, Joo said, "What matters is that whatever the result, I will go my own way," adding, "If there is an acquittal, I will be criticized again. But I won't be there. I will be with the friends in the gray area, at the school."