Bullying surges as Korea resumes in-school classes

Netflix's series ″The Glory″ features a protagonist being bullied in her school. [NETFLIX]

As in-school instruction resumes following the Covid-19 pandemic, an age-old classroom problem is returning with a vengeance — bullying.

The Committee for Countermeasures against School Violence received 9,792 cases for deliberation in the first semester last year, according to the Education Ministry on Tuesday.

The number is expected to hit 20,000 when the second semester's cases are added.

There were some 30,000 bullying cases annually before Covid-19, but the number dipped to 8,357 in 2020 when the pandemic brought strict social distancing protocols, including virtual classes.

The number doubled to 15,652 when in-school classes resumed in 2021 and returned to pre-pandemic levels last year.

Verbal bullying accounted for a growing percentage of school violence.

According to survey data from the Ministry of Education and city and provincial education offices, verbal violence accounted for 42 percent of all school violence after in-school classes resumed.

Between the years 2013 and 2020, verbal bullying accounted for just 35 percent.

Physical bullying, which accounted for 10.7 percent of school violence between 2013 and 2020, rose to 12.4 in 2021 and 13.3 last year.

However, fewer bullies were stealing or stalking.

Theft accounted for 10 percent of school violence in 2013, but its percentage has fallen in subsequent years, hitting 5.4 percent last year.

Stalking fell from 9.2 percent to 5.7 percent over the same period.

Newly appointed chief of the National Office of Investigation Chung Sun-sin had to withdraw his nomination Saturday when a years-old bullying case against his son came to light.

Chung's son had reportedly abused his peer verbally for eight months in 2017, causing the victim to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and panic disorder.

Education authorities are calling for greater awareness of verbal violence.

"We will discuss the public's concern and call for improvements regarding recent verbal violence cases," the Education Ministry announced Monday, adding that it will come up with measures to combat school violence in late March.

BY LEE SU-MIN, SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]