In an interview with E-Daily on March 22, Korea University’s (KU) President Kim Dong-One revealed that the institution plans to penalize instances of scholarly misconduct and violence, including those involving high-achieving applicants who meet the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) criteria for admission. “CSAT should only be useful to confirm high school graduation and college eligibility, while the rest of the detailed selection process should be left to the discretion of the universities,” remarked President Kim to the publication.

School violence has become a major issue in South Korea in recent years, with numerous cases of physical and verbal abuse reported across the country. The problem has been attributed to a variety of factors, including the pressure to perform well academically and the notoriously scarce relevance of mental health awareness. KU’s decision is not without its critics, as many claim that this position does not contemplate a possibility of redemption; however, in regard to this matter, the President clarified that further discussions would identify possible exceptions to the new rule. All in all, the school has decided to send a powerful message by setting a clear standard for behavior, suggesting that violence should not be tolerated, either in academics or in society at large.