Focusing on Prevention at the Start of the Semester,
Intensive Activity Period Begins
"Strict Response to Major Cases Through Swift Investigation"
In order to prevent school violence linked to new types of crimes such as cyber gambling, drugs, and fake videos, the National Police Agency is launching an intensive campaign at the start of the new semester.
On March 2, the National Police Agency announced that it will run a "New Semester School Violence Prevention Intensive Activity Period" until March 30 to eradicate the atmosphere of school violence early in the semester. This measure reflects the fact that the risk of school violence is typically considered high at the beginning of the school year, and that the issue of school violence has been on the rise recently.
The police will closely cooperate with educational authorities and, centering on school police officers (SPOs), will carry out intensive preventive activities from the start of the semester. First, SPOs will visit all assigned schools to establish a communication system between SPOs and the teachers responsible for school violence. Through newsletters and other channels, parents will be informed about the "117 School Violence Reporting Center" and the roles of SPOs. For schools considered at high risk for school violence, the police will also organize campaigns in collaboration with relevant organizations.
In particular, recognizing that school violence is increasingly merging with cyberspace and is now associated with new types such as cyber gambling, drugs, and fake videos (deepfakes), the police will strengthen intelligence gathering related to these crimes. Depending on the seriousness of the case, the police plan to respond strictly and promptly to major cases, such as organized violence circles and sexual violence, through swift investigations.
Minor cases will be handled through "restorative policing," which focuses on relationship recovery and prevention of recurrence. This initiative is designed to address fundamental problems by supporting conflict resolution between perpetrators and victims, with the help of dialogue experts. In 2025, out of 1,475 cases of restorative policing, 137 cases (9.3%) were related to school violence.
In addition, to address the trend of school violence occurring at younger ages and the increasing use of social networking services (SNS), the police will provide customized prevention education for elementary and middle school students on verbal violence, cyberbullying, and digital sex crimes. The National Police Agency also plans to expand hands-on education opportunities, such as virtual reality (VR) educational content, through the Youth Police School.
Yoo Jaesung, Acting Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, stated, "As the formation of a safe environment at the beginning of the school year is crucial for preventing school violence, we will systematically address the issue through close collaboration with schools, from prevention to follow-up management," adding, "We will create a safe environment free of school violence so that students and parents can feel truly secure."
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