'Yacha rules' in Korea: Students film, sell videos of forced fights amid record school violence
In Korea, the share of elementary school students reporting school violence reached a record 5.7 percent. The overall rate of reported school violence across elementary, middle and high schools hit 2.9 percent, the highest level since the survey began. Educators are increasingly concerned as serious forms of school violence, such as the so-called "yacha rules" and forced fights, become more…
In Korea, a concerning trend has emerged in the realm of school violence, with students reporting a record-high rate of incidents. According to the latest survey conducted by the Ministry of Education and 16 regional education offices, 5.7 percent of elementary school students now cite school violence as an issue. This figure marks a significant increase from previous years and represents the highest rate of school violence since the survey began in 2013.
The overall rate of reported school violence across all levels of education - elementary, middle, and high schools - has reached 2.9 percent, an all-time high. This represents a 0.4 percentage point increase from the previous year's survey results. Educators are growing increasingly alarmed by the rise in serious forms of school violence, particularly the "yacha rules" - a term referring to forced fights and other brutal acts perpetrated within school premises.
The comprehensive survey, which covered approximately 3.9 million students in grades four through 12, was conducted online over a four-week period starting in April. A remarkable 81.9 percent of eligible students participated in the study, providing a robust dataset for educators and policymakers to analyze. The ministry's findings underscore the urgent need for action to address the pervasive issue of school violence in Korean educational institutions.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
