The victim response rate for school violence among elementary, middle, and high school students has risen for the sixth consecutive year, reaching 2.9%. In contrast, the rate of self-reported perpetrators dropped to 0.8%, highlighting a growing disparity between the pain felt by victims and the awareness of the issue among offenders. Additionally, minor conflicts among peers are increasingly being escalated to administrative reviews, with over 22% of cases concluded as 'not school violence,' indicating a troubling trend toward the 'judicialization' of school conflicts.
Elementary School Victim Response Rate Hits 5.7% as Perpetrator Rate Declines
The Education Ministry, in collaboration with 16 regional education offices, announced the results of the '2026 First School Violence Survey' on September 9. Conducted from April 14 to May 13, the survey included 3.9 million students from fourth grade to third year of high school, with an 81.9% participation rate (3.19 million students). According to the ministry, the percentage of students reporting experiences of school violence increased to 2.9% (91,600 students), up from 2.5% the previous year.
The victim response rate has shown a consistent upward trend since recording 0.9% in 2020, with increases to 1.1% in 2021, 1.7% in 2022, 1.9% in 2023, 2.1% in 2024, 2.5% in 2025, and now 2.9% in 2026.
By school level, the victim response rate was highest in elementary schools at 5.7%, followed by middle schools at 2.3% and high schools at 0.8%. The increase was most pronounced in elementary schools, which saw a rise of 0.7 percentage points (from 5.0% to 5.7%), compared to middle schools (up 0.2 percentage points) and high schools (up 0.1 percentage points).
Conversely, the perpetrator response rate fell to 0.8% (26,100 students), a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous year. The rate for elementary school perpetrators dropped significantly from 2.4% to 1.6%, while middle schools reported 0.7% (down 0.2 percentage points) and high schools remained at 0.1%.
The rate of students witnessing school violence increased to 6.7% (214,500 students), up 0.6 percentage points from the previous year. Witnessing rates also rose across all school levels, with elementary schools at 11.0% (up 0.8 percentage points), middle schools at 6.8% (up 0.7 percentage points), and high schools at 2.6% (up 0.4 percentage points).
The victim response rate has shown a consistent upward trend since recording 0.9% in 2020, with increases to 1.1% in 2021, 1.7% in 2022, 1.9% in 2023, 2.1% in 2024, 2.5% in 2025, and now 2.9% in 2026.
By school level, the victim response rate was highest in elementary schools at 5.7%, followed by middle schools at 2.3% and high schools at 0.8%. The increase was most pronounced in elementary schools, which saw a rise of 0.7 percentage points (from 5.0% to 5.7%), compared to middle schools (up 0.2 percentage points) and high schools (up 0.1 percentage points).
Conversely, the perpetrator response rate fell to 0.8% (26,100 students), a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous year. The rate for elementary school perpetrators dropped significantly from 2.4% to 1.6%, while middle schools reported 0.7% (down 0.2 percentage points) and high schools remained at 0.1%.
The rate of students witnessing school violence increased to 6.7% (214,500 students), up 0.6 percentage points from the previous year. Witnessing rates also rose across all school levels, with elementary schools at 11.0% (up 0.8 percentage points), middle schools at 6.8% (up 0.7 percentage points), and high schools at 2.6% (up 0.4 percentage points).
Decrease in Verbal and Cyberbullying, Increase in Physical Violence and Bullying
Among the types of victimization reported (multiple responses allowed), 'verbal violence' accounted for the highest percentage at 37.8%. This was followed by 'bullying' at 17.1%, 'physical violence' at 15.7%, 'cyberbullying' at 7.0%, 'extortion' at 6.1%, 'coercion' at 6.0%, 'sexual violence' at 5.2%, and 'stalking' at 5.2%. Notably, there were changes in the proportions of these types compared to the previous year.
While the rates of verbal violence (down 1.2 percentage points) and cyberbullying (down 0.8 percentage points) decreased, physical violence increased by 1.1 percentage points (from 14.6% to 15.7%), and bullying also rose by 0.7 percentage points (from 16.4% to 17.1%).
Distinct differences were observed in the types of victimization by school level. Verbal violence was the most prevalent type across all levels (elementary 37.2%, middle 38.3%, high 39.9%), while the rates of bullying (elementary 15.4% to middle 19.6% to high 19.7%), cyberbullying (elementary 6.0% to middle 8.5% to high 9.1%), and sexual violence (elementary 4.4% to middle 6.0% to high 7.4%) increased significantly as students progressed to higher grades.
In contrast, the rate of physical violence decreased from elementary (17.5%) to middle (13.7%) to high school (10.8%). The majority of incidents occurred 'inside the school' at 69.6%, with classrooms (28.2%), hallways and stairs (16.4%), and playgrounds and gyms (9.1%) being the most common locations. The peak times for incidents were during breaks (29.8%), lunchtime (21.2%), and outside of school hours (14.0%).
While the rates of verbal violence (down 1.2 percentage points) and cyberbullying (down 0.8 percentage points) decreased, physical violence increased by 1.1 percentage points (from 14.6% to 15.7%), and bullying also rose by 0.7 percentage points (from 16.4% to 17.1%).
Distinct differences were observed in the types of victimization by school level. Verbal violence was the most prevalent type across all levels (elementary 37.2%, middle 38.3%, high 39.9%), while the rates of bullying (elementary 15.4% to middle 19.6% to high 19.7%), cyberbullying (elementary 6.0% to middle 8.5% to high 9.1%), and sexual violence (elementary 4.4% to middle 6.0% to high 7.4%) increased significantly as students progressed to higher grades.
In contrast, the rate of physical violence decreased from elementary (17.5%) to middle (13.7%) to high school (10.8%). The majority of incidents occurred 'inside the school' at 69.6%, with classrooms (28.2%), hallways and stairs (16.4%), and playgrounds and gyms (9.1%) being the most common locations. The peak times for incidents were during breaks (29.8%), lunchtime (21.2%), and outside of school hours (14.0%).
Over 22% of Cases Not Classified as School Violence, Educational Solutions Lacking
Analysis of the survey results by Sung Yoon-sook, a senior researcher at the Korea Youth Policy Institute, indicated that the increase in everyday digital device usage has led to a lack of face-to-face relationship-building experiences and a decline in empathy among youth. She noted that the tendency for peer conflicts to escalate into school violence, combined with heightened sensitivity among students and parents, has contributed to this issue. She recommended enhancing preventive education and relationship recovery programs to address minor issues rather than escalating them to formal reviews.
In fact, while the number of school violence cases reported to education offices decreased to 56,880 in the 2025 school year, the proportion of cases referred to the school violence response committee exceeded 51.7%. Notably, 22.1% of cases that underwent formal review were classified as 'not school violence.' This indicates that even routine disputes or minor conflicts are being escalated to administrative and judicial reviews without being resolved through mediation within the school.
In response, the government has decided to take strict measures against emerging forms of violence, such as 'yacharul' and 'sparring.' Based on the newly issued alert (No. 11) in collaboration with the National Police Agency, the government plans to focus on preventive education through School Police Officers (SPOs) and expand the application of the 'relationship recovery system' to first and second graders.
In fact, while the number of school violence cases reported to education offices decreased to 56,880 in the 2025 school year, the proportion of cases referred to the school violence response committee exceeded 51.7%. Notably, 22.1% of cases that underwent formal review were classified as 'not school violence.' This indicates that even routine disputes or minor conflicts are being escalated to administrative and judicial reviews without being resolved through mediation within the school.
In response, the government has decided to take strict measures against emerging forms of violence, such as 'yacharul' and 'sparring.' Based on the newly issued alert (No. 11) in collaboration with the National Police Agency, the government plans to focus on preventive education through School Police Officers (SPOs) and expand the application of the 'relationship recovery system' to first and second graders.
Korea Teachers' Union Calls for Fundamental Legal and Systemic Reforms
The teachers' union expressed deep concern over the continuous increase in the victim response rate and the indiscriminate escalation of cases to formal reviews, urging fundamental legal and systemic reforms. The Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations stated, "The fact that more than one in five cases is classified as 'not school violence' demonstrates that even everyday conflicts among peers are being recklessly escalated to judicial procedures without educational resolution. This directly relates to the loss of teachers' authority in guiding students."
Kang Joo-ho, president of the union, emphasized that school violence is both an educational issue and a legal matter that carries legal responsibilities. He stated, "We must not shift the responsibility of investigating off-campus issues and making quasi-judicial judgments onto teachers who lack investigative authority."
He further called for a dual structure where cases exceeding the scope of school resolution are handled by specialized agencies with judicial authority. He advocated for granting School Police Officers (SPOs) substantial investigative powers similar to those of special judicial police and significantly increasing the current number of 1,135 SPOs to establish a 'one school, one SPO' system. Additionally, the union strongly urged the government to amend the current 'School Violence Prevention Act' to limit the scope of school violence to 'during educational activities' and to ensure that the relationship recovery system is effectively implemented with dedicated personnel and budget support.
Kang Joo-ho, president of the union, emphasized that school violence is both an educational issue and a legal matter that carries legal responsibilities. He stated, "We must not shift the responsibility of investigating off-campus issues and making quasi-judicial judgments onto teachers who lack investigative authority."
He further called for a dual structure where cases exceeding the scope of school resolution are handled by specialized agencies with judicial authority. He advocated for granting School Police Officers (SPOs) substantial investigative powers similar to those of special judicial police and significantly increasing the current number of 1,135 SPOs to establish a 'one school, one SPO' system. Additionally, the union strongly urged the government to amend the current 'School Violence Prevention Act' to limit the scope of school violence to 'during educational activities' and to ensure that the relationship recovery system is effectively implemented with dedicated personnel and budget support.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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