Police on Thursday said they had yet to discover the motive behind the apparent suicide of a 12-year-old boy who hanged himself at after-school study center in Nowon-gu, northeast Seoul.

The boy had been found hanging by his backpack straps inside a toilet cubicle at a speed reading private education institute at around 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday. The director of the institute discovered and reported the case to police. 

The victim reportedly left to use the restroom in the middle of class.

He left no suicide note and had not contacted anyone prior to the incident.

Fresh statements surfaced Thursday saying the boy had been bullied at his new school due to the uncontrollable tics he suffered from, however, his family denied the claims, saying he had no apparent reason to commit a suicide.

The victim’s family said the boy left for the study center that day in his usual bright mood. They say they never pressured him academically.

Police said the victim moved schools in March. He reportedly had difficulties making friends in the previous school, but adapted relatively well in the new one. Several schoolmates came to the victim’s funeral to pay tribute and shed tears.

Police plan to run an autopsy at the earliest on Friday to determine the exact cause of the boy’s death.

The boy’s friends and teacher will be asked to give statements.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)