Teacher charged with child abuse after eating live hamster in front of pupils

A teacher in South Korea is being charged with child abuse after he ate a live hamster in front of seven pupils to teach them 'how dear life is'.

Police said that the 44-year-old teacher, known as Yu, chewed and swallowed the live hamster at a boarding school in Jeongeup while the seven children were present, according to UPI.

"While watching the hamsters die from teasing, I thought I should teach the children it was wrong to make light of life," Yu told reporters.

He did this by making them watch him eat the hamster. He also apparently used abusive language in front of them.

Yu left the school after complaints from his colleagues, and was arrested after parents contacted the authorities.

He has since been released from custody, and publicly apologised to the children and their parents.