SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- School violence flourished last year, yet a majority of students who committed offenses received mild punishment, a government report showed Monday.
A total of 5,605 cases of violence were reported at the nation' s elementary, middle and high schools last year, according to the report submitted to Park Young-ah of the ruling Grand National Party by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
The most common form of violence was assault, which accounted for 62.6 percent, or 3,509 cases.
The number of students who committed acts of violence stood at 14,605, and 66 percent, or 9,644, of them were males, the report said. They mostly received light punishments, with as many as 39.2 percent, or 5,731 students, being ordered to fulfill on-campus volunteer services.
Only 15.1 percent, or 2,209 students, were subject to punishment considered to be comparatively heavy, such as taking special classes. A mere 3.1 percent, or 462 students, were restrained from approaching the victims.
In addition, only 7.7 percent of the perpetrators were suspended, while those who were forced to transfer or expelled totaled 6.2 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively, the report said.