South Korean School Violence Reports Reach Record High

A government survey revealed that 2.9 percent of students in elementary through high school reported experiencing school violence, marking the highest rate since the study began in 2013. The survey, conducted by the Education Ministry and 16 regional education offices between April 14 and May 13, included responses from approximately 3.19 million students. This represents an increase of 0.4 percentage points from the previous year.

Elementary school students reported the highest victimization rate at 5.7 percent, followed by middle school students at 2.3 percent and high school students at 0.8 percent. Verbal harassment was the most common form of violence at 37.8 percent, followed by bullying at 17.1 percent and physical violence at 15.7 percent. One report also noted that cyberbullying accounted for 7 percent of cases.

The National Youth Policy Institute attributed the rise to several factors, including heightened sensitivity toward school violence among parents and students, as well as a decrease in empathy and personal relationships due to heavy use of technical devices. The institute noted that everyday classroom conflicts are more likely to evolve into violence under these conditions.

The Education Ministry stated it will use the results to develop prevention measures. These plans include strengthening restorative programs and taking firmer action against emerging trends, such as bare knuckle fights known as yacha rule bouts.