School violence on rise in Korea

Elementary schoolers reading books in a library.

Perpetrators getting younger, research shows

When a Seoul elementary school student earned the highest score on an examination last year, an envious classmate opened an online community page deriding the student. The page was open for over a year, causing its target to suffer from an abnormal, extreme phobia of using the Internet.

Another elementary school student, identified by his family name Kim, ran away from his home in Seoul’s Nowon district, leaving behind a diary in which he complained about the violence he faced from other students at school. Kim did not return home for three days.

Among students who are the victims of school violence, some have expressed their anger in extreme ways. A sixth-grader in an elementary school, identified as Han, stabbed a classmate three times in the arm and side. After the student had threatened him, Han premeditatedly carried out the attack, preparing a concealed weapon and bringing it to school.

According to a nationwide survey of 3,910 elementary and middle school students, performed by a foundation aimed at preventing juvenile violence, 17.8 percent of elementary school students have experienced violence at school, compared 16.8 percent of middle school students. Counselor Lee Jeong-hi of the foundation said that school violence in South Korea has steadily increased from 2002 and students committing violent acts against their peers are getting younger.

According to Professor Gwak Geum-ju of Seoul National University, these days students committing violence are the "alpha" students. As a consequence, it is difficult to prevent school violence because other students easily take part in it, hoping to be accepted by the social leaders of the school.

According to a foreign research project, said Professor Gwak, a third of both elementary students committing violence and their victims grow up to be criminals.

An elementary school teacher identified only as Shin said that due to too many responsibilities, teachers cannot pay enough attention to school violence. He says that most school principals try to cover up violent incidents, and teachers who are sensitive to the need to address school violence are becoming increasingly isolated.

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