Nearly 8 in 10 school violence cases face only mild penalties: report
New forms of school violence, including one that forces those bullied into physical fights, are on the rise but many of those responsible for such violence go nearly unpunished, a lawmaker said Monday, citing relevant data from the education ministry. According to the data submitted to Rep. Han Byung-do of the ruling Democratic Party, 490 cases of such violence have been subject to a review by…
A report reveals that nearly 8 out of every 10 cases of school violence receive only mild penalties, as cited by lawmaker Rep. Han Byung-do of the Democratic Party. The data, submitted by the education ministry, shows that 490 instances of such violence were reviewed by school disciplinary committees between 2024 and August of this year.
Out of these cases, 1,961 disciplinary measures were imposed on 1,232 students involved, but an alarming 77.7 percent, or 1,523 instances, were considered light penalties. These light measures, which account for the majority of the cases, include requiring a written apology and orders to maintain a distance from the victims. Suspension or transfer to another school only made up the remaining 10 percent, with 193 measures taken.
The report highlights a growing trend of a phenomenon known as the "yacha rule," where victims are coerced into unwanted physical fights under the pretense of mutual agreement. There is a pressing need for clear guidelines to address this issue.
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.
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