Have Teacher Rights Violations Declined? ... Violence Against Teachers Up Fivefold

19,819 reports of violations of teachers' rights from 2020 to 2025

91.3% involved students

"Strengthen protections for affected teachers and prevent disputes"

Violence against teachers continued unabated and increased year after year. Reports of injury and assault against teachers rose from 113 in 2020 to 561 in 2025.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Kim Hee-jung, chair of the National Assembly's Education Committee and a People Power Party lawmaker representing Busan's Yeonje District, there were 19,819 reports of violations of teachers' rights during the 2020-2025 school years. Of these, 19,252 reports were recorded. Reports of violent crimes also increased, from 31 in 2023 to 114 in 2025. As violations of teachers' rights extend beyond verbal abuse and conflicts over student guidance to physical violence and sex crimes, calls are growing for stronger protections for affected teachers.

Annual reports rose from 1,197 in 2020 to 2,269 in 2021 and 3,035 in 2022. They reached 5,050 in 2023, then fell somewhat to 4,234 in 2024 and 4,034 in 2025. Despite the decline over the past two years, the number remains high compared with 2020.

Students were responsible for most violations of teachers' rights. Reports involving students totaled 18,100, accounting for 91.3% of all reports, while 1,719 involved parents or others.

By type, insult and defamation were the most common, with 7,983 cases. These were followed by 3,444 cases in which educational activities were disrupted by refusing to comply with legitimate student guidance. There were 2,295 cases of injury and assault, 1,501 acts causing sexual humiliation or aversion, 601 sex crimes, and 589 cases of threats.

Among the measures imposed on students, suspension from school was the most common, with 6,960 cases. There were 3,148 cases of in-school service, 2,318 of community service, and 1,625 transfers to another school. A total of 1,311 students were required to complete special education, while 252 were expelled. However, the figures on disciplinary measures are compiled using different criteria from the total reports of violations of teachers' rights, so they cannot be directly compared with the number of reports.

More teachers have also sought psychological and legal support following violations of their rights. Psychological counseling cases rose from 7,936 in 2020 to 57,966 in 2025. Legal counseling cases also increased over the same period, from 2,459 to 11,027.

Increases were particularly pronounced in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. In Seoul, psychological counseling cases rose from 192 in 2020 to 6,552 in 2025, while legal counseling cases increased from 6 to 2,907. In Gyeonggi Province, psychological counseling cases climbed from 693 to 18,528, and legal counseling cases rose from 701 to 1,827.

Kim Hee-jung stressed that reports of serious violations of teachers' rights, including injury, assault, and sexual violence, are increasing, as is demand for psychological and legal counseling among teachers. She said the protection system for affected teachers must be strengthened.

"The erosion of teachers' authority is not an issue that individual teachers should have to endure. It is a social problem that paralyzes normal educational activities and even infringes on other students' right to learn," Kim said.

Kim said she would clarify the legal criteria for distinguishing legitimate student guidance from child abuse to prevent disputes and strengthen support systems to help affected teachers return to their everyday lives.

Kim Heejung, chair of the National Assembly Education Committee and a People Power Party lawmaker.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.