Tragic Incident Claims Life of High School Student During Climbing Activity in Ulsan

A tragic accident occurred during a two-day experiential learning trip in Ulsan, where a high school student lost his life. According to the Ulsan City Office of Education and Ulsan Police Agency, at approximately 2:55 PM on March 10, a 16-year-old first-year student, referred to as A, collapsed while rock climbing at the Ulsan Student Education Center in Sangbuk-myeon, Ulju-gun.

Reports indicate that A, who was climbing at a height of 3 meters, requested to be lowered and subsequently lost consciousness due to hyperventilation during the descent. Despite receiving CPR on-site and being transported to a hospital by emergency services around 3:25 PM, A was pronounced dead. It has been confirmed that the student had no prior health issues.

The activity A participated in was part of the Happiness Together Education Program, designed for first-year high school students and organized by the Ulsan Student Education Center. The Ulsan City Office of Education stated that five staff members, including safety personnel and supervising teachers, were present during the activity, which was conducted under normal conditions.

An official from the education office noted that students with health concerns were not allowed to participate, and a warm-up exercise was conducted beforehand. They added that A had shown no signs of distress prior to the incident, suggesting that the hyperventilation occurred unexpectedly during the activity.

In response to the incident, the school canceled the remaining activities and returned students to school immediately after the accident. The Ulsan City Office of Education has established an emergency response team, led by the Director of Education, consisting of 21 members from various educational and mental health support organizations.

Additionally, all experiential learning programs at the student education center have been suspended for two weeks to conduct safety inspections. The police are currently investigating the exact cause of A's death and the circumstances surrounding the accident.