S. Korea’s school violence penalties create big business for lawyers

Critics say college admission penalties for school violence benefit lawyers without reducing bullying

Illustrated by Rhee Choul-won

A high school student, A, in Gyeonggi Province was accused of school violence earlier this year. B, who filed the complaint, told the school that “A is ostracizing me.” However, the two had been friends before a minor dispute strained their relationship. Most of B’s claims at the school violence committee hearing were based on subjective feelings, such as “It’s painful to see A staring at me and smiling.” Many at the school expected the case to be dismissed without issue. Despite this, A’s parents immediately hired a lawyer after the complaint was filed, fearing that even a minor disciplinary record could derail their daughter’s college admission plans. They spent about 5 million won preparing for the two-month-long review process. In the end, the case concluded with a finding of no school violence.

Graphics by Rhee Choul-won

After a rise in school violence cases post-pandemic, South Korea has introduced new rules requiring universities to consider school violence records as a penalty in college admissions, starting with the 2026 cycle. This change follows a case where the son of a 2023 nominee for chief of the National Office of Investigation, who was transferred for school violence, still entered Seoul National University through a test-based system.

However, the stricter rules have led to concerns. Parents, fearing a negative impact on college applications, are hiring lawyers even in minor disputes, like in A’s case. Critics argue that while punishments have increased, school violence remains unchanged, and lawyers are benefiting from the situation.

Last year in Daegu, student C was also reported for school violence after a fight with a close friend. The friend selectively shared parts of their casual, profanity-laden online chats to claim victimhood. Although it could have ended as a misunderstanding, C’s parents still hired a lawyer. “We believed the committee would clear things up, but we feared even a minor ruling could harm college prospects,” they said.

According to one lawyer specializing in school violence cases in Seoul, phone consultations have doubled and case signings increased by 1.5 times since the government’s announcement mandating colleges to reflect school violence in admissions. The lawyer charges 40,000 won for a 30-minute consultation and receives over ten calls a day. Another school violence lawyer noted that in education-driven areas like Gangnam and Mok-dong, almost all school violence hearings now involve lawyers. Recently, this trend has expanded to districts like Gangdong and Songpa. Legal fees for school violence cases typically start at 3 million won and can go as high as 30 to 40 million won per case.

Parents often resort to hiring lawyers because navigating the school violence review process is daunting. They are unsure how to prepare documents properly, and outcomes can vary widely depending on the committee members' perspectives, adding to the uncertainty.

Law firms are also leveraging this anxiety with aggressive marketing. Searching for “school violence lawyer” online yields nearly 100 ads with slogans like “Failure to respond to school violence will hurt college admissions” and “Protect your child’s future.” An official from an education office handling school violence cases said, “We’re hearing more about rising legal fees in school violence cases,” adding, “It’s heartbreaking to see lawyers taking advantage of parents' fears about their children’s future.”