Guidebooks on how to respond to sexual violence distributed to foreign students in S. Korea
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The brochures outline key concepts and types of sexual violence, along with practical guidance on how to seek help when witnessing incidents.
PHOTO: SOUTH KOREAN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
SEOUL – South Korea’s Education Ministry on April 1 distributed multilingual guidebooks on sexual violence prevention to international students through support centres nationwide, as the foreign student population continues to grow.
The brochures are available in seven languages – Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Uzbek and Nepali – reflecting the major nationalities of international students in Korea.
They outline key concepts and types of sexual violence, along with practical guidance on how to seek help or respond when witnessing incidents, using scenario-based examples.
The initiative comes as the number of international students has risen sharply, from 153,000 in 2020 to 253,000 in 2025. The ministry said the materials are intended to help prevent incidents while ensuring students can access assistance promptly.
Officials noted that some cases have shown international students struggling to respond appropriately due to language barriers and cultural differences, even after incidents occur.
The guidebook is available at universities’ human rights centres and international student support institutions nationwide, as well as on the ministry’s website.
“We expect the guide will help international students live and study in a safer environment,” a ministry official said. “We will continue to strengthen support and prevention systems to improve safety for international students.” THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
