South Korea reports record high in school violence victimization

South Korean school violence victimization rates have reached an all-time high, according to the first 2026 school violence survey released by the Ministry of Education and provincial offices of education. The survey reported a 2.9% victimization rate among elementary, middle, and high school students, marking the sixth consecutive year of increase since 2013.

Elementary school students were most affected, with a 5.7% victimization rate, meaning approximately one in 18 students reported being a victim. Among all school levels, verbal violence remains the most common type at 37.8%, though physical violence (15.7%) and group bullying (17.1%) both saw significant increases compared to the previous year.

Authorities have issued warnings regarding new trends in violence, such as the ‘Yacha rule,’ where students engage in bare-knuckle fighting under the condition of not reporting injuries. There are also reports of students being forced to fight for the purpose of selling videos online. In response, the Ministry of Education and the National Police Agency plan to expand prevention education through School Police Officers and strengthen institutional responses to the online distribution of violence-related content.