Crackdown Begins: Korean Government Finally Acts On One of The Nation’s Biggest Social Issues

South Korea has a new rule in place—one that bans bullies with histories of school violence from gaining admission into colleges—and the results of its enforcement are now earning praise from the public.

Starting in 2025, with the current high school seniors applying, all South Korean colleges are now required to consider school violence records as a factor in admissions decisions. In 2024, when the policy was still optional, 134 colleges had already begun rejecting applicants with any history of school bullying. Among the 397 applicants whose records were considered, 298 students (75%) were rejected. Now that the policy is mandatory for all schools and all admission types, the number of rejected cases is expected to rise even higher.

Seoul Shinmun reported, based on data submitted by 134 colleges out of the nation’s 193 four-year institutions to the Ministry of Education, that three out of four students with school violence records in their transcripts were rejected for admission. In early admissions, 272 out of 370 students (73.5%) were rejected; in regular admissions, 26 out of 27 students (96.3%) failed. Some of Korea’s most prestigious “well-known” colleges handed out rejections based on school bullying records, too: Seoul National University rejected 2 in regular admissions, Yonsei University and Sungkyunkwan University rejected 3 and 6, respectively, in early admissions.

These measures are direct results of public awareness surging after 2023’s mega-hit Netflix K-Drama, The Glory, and the resignation of National Investigation Chief nominee Jeong Soon Shin over his son’s school-violence scandal. The Ministry of Education then decided to impose direct, tangible disadvantages in the college admissions process by allowing deductions for bullying.

School violence is currently categorized from Level 1 to 9, depending on severity. Levels 1 through 3 (penalized with written apology or on-campus service, etc.) are relatively light and are removed from the student record once completed, meaning colleges cannot see them. In contrast, Levels 4 (community service) and 5 (special education or counseling) remain on record for two years after graduation, while Levels 6 (suspension), 7 (class change), and 8 (school transfer) remain for four years. Level 9 (expulsion) is preserved permanently. Levels 4 through 9 are visible to colleges considering admission.

Koreans expressed hope that the new policy will serve to deter school violence, though some worried that the bullies might find even worse ways to keep bullying or that minor incidents could be unfairly penalized.

• “Shouldn’t have been a bully, huh?”
• “The audacity to try and get into a good university after bullying others… Wake up.”
• “Good.”
• “Should have lived right.”
• “Good, good.”
• “This is justice.”
• “So they’re deducting admission points… I wonder if the bullies will try to get sneakier now, or force themselves to hold back for their own future.”
• “Only getting what they deserve.”
• “Good.”
• “This is really uplifting news.”

The Korean entertainment industry also faces its own battles with alleged school bullies-turned-celebrities. Read more about how things are turning out for them here:

“School Bully” Actor Loses $3M Lawsuit Against His Accuser, Faces Scathing Criticism