This article was published on the ChosunBiz RM Report website at 4:12 p.m. on May 29, 2026.
As disciplinary records for school violence emerge as a major factor in college admissions, the "school violence consulting" market that taps into parents' anxieties is growing. These services say they help ensure that measures for school violence do not remain on a child's school record, or that they devise response strategies for the School Violence Countermeasures Review Committee and at the stages of administrative appeals and administrative lawsuits.
Most cases are handled by lawyers, but recently, former teachers or former police officers, as well as nonprofessionals without particular qualifications claiming to specialize in school violence, have been jumping in. The legal community worries they may urge parents to take excessive actions. Typical examples include advising clients to always file a "countercomplaint," or offering to write a student's statement and letter of apology on the student's behalf.
Expense issues are also sparking controversy. Some firms promote themselves as "cheaper than lawyers," but critics say actual costs can be similar to or higher than a formal lawyer's retainer once consultation fees, document preparation fees, and case review fees are added.
◇ School violence reflected in all admissions tracks, fueling parents' anxiety
The growth of the school violence consulting market stems from changes in the college admissions system. The Ministry of Education has required that, starting with the 2026 academic year, the results of school violence measures be reflected in all tracks, including early and regular admission. If a student record includes an entry related to school violence, eligibility to apply can be restricted or the student can be disadvantaged in evaluations.
School violence history is already functioning as a factor that determines college admissions outcomes. According to data titled "Status of reflecting school violence in early admissions for the 2026 academic year" that the office of lawmaker Jin Sun-mi of the Democratic Party of Korea received from the Ministry of Education, of 3,273 applications with school violence history at 170 universities nationwide, 2,460 were rejected. The rejection rate was 75.2%. In regular admissions, 535 out of 593 cases at 165 universities nationwide were rejected, for a rejection rate of 90.2%.
As school violence history effectively becomes an "admissions risk," online ads offering help at the stages of school violence committees, administrative appeals, and administrative lawsuits are increasing. They say things like "cheaper than lawyer expenses" and "we block entries in the student record." Some front former teacher or former police careers, and there are also cases of repackaging short-term experience handling school violence tasks at an education office as if it were specialized expertise.
Attorney Lee Dong-hyun of SJ Partners said, "I have seen cases where consultation centers created based on short-term school violence-related work at an education office were touted as professional experience."
Administrative agents can prepare and file documents such as petitions for administrative appeals or represent clients in administrative procedures. However, providing legal consultations can be problematic. Unlike lawyers, administrative agents cannot directly attend school violence committee meetings or conduct litigation on behalf of clients. It is also difficult for them to submit legal opinions on school violence under their own name.
If a nonlawyer provides legal consultations or drafts legal documents for money, it may violate the Attorney‑at‑Law Act. The law provides that a nonlawyer who handles legal affairs for payment can be punished with up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won.
◇ Even CCTV company employees approach parents, saying "there's someone who can file a lawsuit cheaply"
School violence consulting is not confined to the domains of lawyers or administrative agents. Nonprofessionals who can access case information on campus sometimes approach parents. For example, employees of companies that manage on-campus closed-circuit (CC)TVs offer to help parents.
Cho Ki-hyun, managing partner at Korean Central Law Firm, said, "I have encountered cases where a company employee approached a parent who came to view CCTV footage at a school and offered to introduce someone who could help," adding, "They say they can arrange a cheap lawsuit and then demand a brokerage fee in the middle."
The legal community believes such approaches are unlikely to lead to genuinely professional legal assistance. School violence cases require a comprehensive review of facts, evidence, consistency of statements, and the extent of harm, which nonprofessionals are ill-equipped to assess accurately.
Expenses can also exceed expectations. Some online ads promote prices at "one-third the cost of a lawyer," but in reality, additional consultation fees and document preparation fees are often charged. Han Areum, managing partner at LF Law Firm, said, "If you use nonprofessional services, you may end up paying costs similar to or even greater than a formal lawyer's retainer."
◇ Advice to "always file a countercomplaint" can undermine statements
The biggest problem is flawed response strategies. Responses to school violence cases must vary by case. In some situations, acknowledging the facts, showing remorse, and seeking leniency is necessary; in others, it is important to actively clarify what is unfair. One must comprehensively consider the course of events, evidence, extent of harm, and consistency of statements.
But if parents blindly trust nonprofessionals and hastily file countercomplaints or change positions, it can work against the student. If a student first denies the allegations and later admits them, or if what is written in documents differs from what is said at the committee, the credibility of the statements can be undermined.
It is also risky for someone else to write a student's statement or letter of apology. If handwriting or writing style appears not to be the student's own, the student may be judged as lacking remorse. Because committees reflect a student's attitude and level of remorse in determining the severity of discipline, ghostwriting can backfire.
Initial statements are important as well. In school violence cases, the documents and statements submitted at the outset carry through to the committee's decision, administrative appeals, and administrative lawsuits. Once a statement wavers, it is hard to correct later, which can raise the level of discipline or lead to unfavorable outcomes in appeal procedures.
Attorney Lee Dong-hyun said, "Discretion is relatively broadly recognized for education offices regarding school violence measures," adding, "From the initial stage, it is important to organize facts and evidence accurately and respond consistently."