South Korean students who have trouble with school bullies can soon call on the government to provide them with bodyguards.

South Korea plans to start a trial service next month to cut down on school violence. As a part of that, it will provide personal protection for those bullied students who seek it as they travel to and from school, an official said on Tuesday.

“We are going to try to protect the student who is being bullied and find out who is doing the bullying,” said Park Jung-hee, an education ministry official.

Bullying is a serious problem in South Korea’s school system, where victims have committed suicide and corporal punishment of students by teachers is allowed by law and commonplace.

The bodyguard service is one facet of the ministry’s policy to curb school violence that also includes counselling and increased training for educators.

(台北时报)