"Zero Tolerance for School Sports Team Violence"... Gyeongbuk Office of Education Launches Full-Scale Survey of 4,000 Students in 364 Teams

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) has developed a comprehensive set of preventive measures to protect student athletes and ensure the safe operation of school sports teams, following a recent incident involving violence by a school sports team coach. On August 14, the office launched an emergency, full-scale investigation targeting all school sports teams in the Gyeongbuk region.

This investigation will take place from August 14 to 21 and will survey approximately 4,000 student athletes belonging to 364 school sports teams in North Gyeongsang Province. The survey will be conducted online and confidentially, focusing on the current state of (sexual) violence and human rights violations.

Gyeongbuk Office of Education

If the investigation confirms any cases of harm or rights violations, immediate protective measures will be implemented. In cases where ongoing violence or systematic cover-ups are suspected, a special investigation will be conducted to thoroughly uncover the facts.

Additionally, the Gyeongbuk Office of Education will provide psychological counseling and treatment support for affected students, regularize violence prevention training for coaches, conduct human rights and safety education before and after training sessions, and operate a monthly “Teacher-Student Dialogue Hour.”

For serious incidents of violence that cause social controversy, the office will apply a “One-Strike Out” policy, revising management guidelines to allow for the termination of a coach’s contract after a single violation. In cases where criminal charges are clear, contract termination will be the principle. The office will also establish and operate a school sports team violence reporting center at each district education support office, ensuring a swift response from the moment a report is received through to resolution.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, “We will apply a zero-tolerance policy toward acts of violence and create a safe environment where student athletes can focus on training without fear.”

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