South Korea’s top state-run universities have turned away 162 applicants flagged for school bullying during the 2026 early admissions cycle, according to data released by a ruling party lawmaker.
Figures cited by Democratic Party Representative Jin Sun-mee show that nearly 90% of the 180 candidates with documented bullying histories were denied entry to institutions under the Presidential Council of Korean Flagship National Universities, local media reported on 2 January.
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Seoul National University confirmed it had no applicants with such records.
Kangwon National University led the rejections with 37 cases, followed by Gyeongsang National University (29), Kyungpook National University (28), and Jeonbuk National University (18). Other universities included Chungnam National (15), Chonnam National (14), Chungbuk National (13), Pusan National (7), and Jeju National (1).
Bullying records now a factor
The surge in disqualifications stems from a government mandate requiring all admission tracks, previously limited to student-record-based evaluations, to factor in disciplinary measures for bullying starting in 2026. This now extends to essay-based and practical skills assessments.
Universities were given discretion to set penalties based on severity. Some imposed outright bans for serious offenses, while others deducted up to 200 points from applicants’ scores.
Private institutions have also tightened rules. Kyung-in Women’s University and Inha University rejected all applicants with bullying records. Sungkyunkwan and Sogang universities announced zero-point penalties for Level-2 or higher disciplinary actions, effectively disqualifying those candidates.
Ewha Womans University restricted such applicants in student-record-based tracks, while Hanyang University barred those with Level-8 or Level-9 actions across all tracks.
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In North Gyeongsang and Daegu, rejections jumped from 66 in 2025 to 160 in 2026. The tally is expected to rise once regular admission results are released on 2 February.
A National Assembly Education Committee report noted that 298 applicants were rejected in 2024 out of 397 who disclosed bullying histories.
“School violence is unacceptable, and universities are enforcing this principle rigorously,” an official from a national university said.
What do you think of this? Do you think Malaysia should implement something similar?
