South Korea Releases Multilingual Safety Guides for International Students to Combat Sexual Violence

South Korea’s Education Ministry distributes safety guidebooks in seven languages to support and protect the country’s 253,000 international students.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 10:54 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Straits Times

Supporting a Global Student Body

As the population of international scholars in South Korea continues to expand, the Ministry of Education has taken a significant step toward ensuring their safety and integration. On April 1, officials began distributing comprehensive guidebooks specifically tailored to the needs of foreign students. The number of international students in the country has surged from 153,000 in 2020 to more than a quarter of a million by 2025, creating an urgent need for specialized support services that transcend traditional domestic outreach. This new initiative is designed to empower students with the knowledge necessary to navigate complex social situations and access the country's legal and protective resources.

Breaking Language and Cultural Barriers

The newly released brochures are available in seven different languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Uzbek, and Nepali. These languages were selected to reflect the primary nationalities currently enrolled in South Korean higher education institutions. By providing information in a student’s native tongue, the ministry hopes to eliminate the confusion and hesitation that often accompany traumatic incidents. Officials noted that previously, some international students struggled to seek help or report crimes due to a lack of fluency in Korean or a fundamental misunderstanding of the local legal definitions regarding sexual misconduct.

Practical Guidance and Scenario Based Learning

The guidebooks go beyond basic definitions, providing practical, scenario based examples of various types of sexual violence and harassment. This approach helps students identify inappropriate behavior in real world contexts, ranging from campus environments to social gatherings. Beyond identification, the materials offer clear, step by step instructions on how to respond if they are a victim or a witness to an incident. This includes information on how to contact campus human rights centers, local police, and specialized support organizations that offer counseling and legal aid.