By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
An academically gifted female high school pupil has been found dead in an apparent suicide after allegedly becoming the target of bullies, police said Monday.
Officers questioned her classmates in South Jeolla Province after being tipped off she was bullied and subjected to violence.
Hwasun police said the 19-year-old, identified by her family name Kim, was found dead after apparently hanging herself at her home at 8:20 a.m. Friday.
Police quoted a friend, who first reported the case, as saying, ``When I visited her house to go to school, I found her hanging from the ceiling.''
No suicide note was found at the scene.
``Her friends said she was recently assaulted by male classmates and was bullied into paying money to avoid the violence,'' a police officer said.
She earned academic scholarships and produced top marks, the officer added.
The girl's funeral service was held at her school Monday at the request of the bereaved family.