In South Korea, the introduction of severe penalties for bullying behavior has generated unintended consequences. Rather than discouraging violence, the anti-bullying program has prompted parents to initiate lawsuits to contest allegations of aggression, leading to a boom in the sale of insurance policies covering the costs of these disputes. [1]
It has been 27 years since the Columbine High School massacre, which triggered the global war against bullying, yet many nations adopting this approach are finding that the problem is worsening. South Korea is one such example; it has turned bullying into a major cultural issue, spawning numerous popular series ('K-dramas'), including the recent Netflix hit, 'Teach You a Lesson'. Despite this massive anti-bullying effort (or perhaps because of it), a 2025 survey revealed that the rate of victimization through violence in South Korean elementary schools reached a historic high. [1]
The fundamental premise of anti-bullying advocacy is that such behavior should not be tolerated and must be consistently and firmly sanctioned, assuming that the high price of bullying will dissipate the aggressor's appetite for causing suffering. Although it is widely recognized that punishment is not an effective response, faith in it persists, likely because it seems intuitively correct to the average person or because other approaches proposed by researchers appear ineffective. [1]
Thus, South Korea adopted a drastic measure: students with bullying records are disqualified from admission to public universities. This penalty causes huge financial losses for students and can seriously affect their future. Given the crucial importance placed on higher education in Korea, this policy should be an effective deterrent, according to traditional logic. [1]
However, human nature dictates a different outcome. Similar to appealing a traffic fine that is much larger than its amount, severe sanctions for violating anti-bullying norms induce extreme defensive behavior. Students, or more precisely their parents, fight back by attacking the educational system in court. These cases last for years and cost tens of thousands of dollars. [1]
To cover these expenses, an increasing number of South Korean parents are purchasing bullying-related insurance policies. The number of payments for insurance related to school violence at five major non-life insurance companies has risen dramatically: from 231 cases in 2021, to 1,297 in 2022, 3,388 in 2023, 3,443 in 2025, and 2,056 just in the first two months of the following year. This represents an increase of nearly 15 times over five years. [1]
Lawsuits are filed even for the most minor complaints. A case reported by JoongAng Daily describes a parent who found himself involved in a lawsuit worth 25 million won (approximately $16,580) because his fifth-grade son repeatedly borrowed items and 'looked at' another student. The local education office decided no action was necessary, but the victim's parent appealed the decision. The court dismissed the case entirely, but the process caused significant financial and psychological burdens, prompting the family to seek compensation from insurance. [1]
The goal of anti-bullying laws is to reduce the suffering caused by bullying. In South Korea, however, this suffering is overshadowed by the financial costs and psychological pain caused by lengthy and expensive litigation. [1]
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