Most school violence sanctions in South Korea are classified as minor penalties
A lawmaker highlighted that nearly eight-in-ten disciplinary actions for school violence between 2024 and August were light measures such as apologies, with fewer than one-in-ten resulting in suspension or transfer.
Data submitted to Rep. Han Byung-do indicate that 490 incidents of school violence were examined by disciplinary committees from 2024 through August. The education ministry recorded 1,961 disciplinary actions affecting 1,232 students, but 1,523 of those actions were classified as light, such as written apologies and orders to keep distance from victims, and they do not generate formal records. Less than 10 percent of the measures, specifically 193, involved harsher penalties like suspension or school transfers.
Han warned that the "yacha rule"—coercing bullied students into physical fights while claiming mutual agreement—is on the rise. He urged the creation of detailed criteria to assess involvement in organizing, filming, or sharing such fights to expose hidden coercion. Police have already warned that the "yacha rule" constitutes a crime regardless of any written consent.
Why it matters
It reveals that most school-violence punishments in South Korea are minimal, raising concerns about deterrence and victim protection.
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