Story thread · 14 reports / 13 sources

'Yacha rules' in Korea: Students film, sell videos of forced fights amid record school violence

koreatimes.co.kr · 5dShare

In Korea, the share of elementary school students reporting school violence reached a record 5.7 percent. The overall rate of reported school violence across elementary, middle and high schools hit 2.9 percent, the highest level since the survey began. Educators are increasingly concerned as serious forms of school violence, such as the so-called "yacha rules" and forced fights, become more frequent. The Ministry of Education and 16 regional education offices announced Wednesday the results of the 2026 first-round survey on school violence, which covered approximately 3.9 million students in the fourth through 12th grades. The ministry conducted the online survey covering all eligible students over four weeks starting in April, with approximately 3.19 million, or 81.9 percent, participating. The overall share of students reporting school violence stood at 2.9 percent, up 0.4 percentage points from the first-round survey last year. This marks the highest level since the education minist

First report: The first day of school: Bells, bikes, buses and big feelings — npr.org, 8d