Principal's Own Resolution Procedure

Which step are you at?

Select your current step and the content for that step will appear below.

1. 1Investigation completed
2. 2Checking the 4 requirements
3. 3Written consent of the victim and guardians
4. 4Deliberation by the dedicated team
5. 5Principal's decision and notice
6. 6Relationship restoration and follow-up
7. 7Later request to convene the deliberation committee

• Basic step
• Additional action / option
• Rejection / objection
• End of procedure

Time required

The law sets no deadline for deciding on the principal's own resolution; check the expected schedule with the school

Cost

No cost

Procedure guide

Read from start to finish in order. Red text marks deadlines set by law.

1. 1

   The dedicated team (the investigation team inside the school) organizes the statements of the victim, offending and witness students and the evidence, and reports the investigation results to the principal. Whether the case can be settled within the school (the principal's own resolution) is judged based on these results.

2. 2

   All 4 requirements set by law must be met (School Violence Prevention Act §13-2). (1) There is no medical certificate stating that physical or mental treatment of 2 weeks or more is needed, (2) there is no property damage, or it was restored right away, or there is a promise to restore it, (3) it is not continuous school violence, and (4) it is not retaliation for a report or statement. If even one is not met, the case goes to the deliberation committee.

3. 3

   The victim student and guardians must confirm in writing that they do not want the deliberation committee to be convened. Consent is the victim's side's free choice. Before consenting, it is safer to first secure the medical certificate and counseling records and confirm how serious the harm is. This is because if a medical certificate says 2 weeks or more of treatment is needed, the case is not eligible for the principal's own resolution.

   Current step
4. 4

   The dedicated team deliberates on whether the requirements are met and whether there is consent, and reports to the principal. If the principal decides on the principal's own resolution, the principal notifies the students and guardians of both sides in writing and reports to the deliberation committee at the local office of education (School Violence Prevention Act §13-2(1)). The law does not set a deadline for the principal's own resolution decision; it follows the Ministry of Education's case-handling standards, so check with the school.

5. 5

   Under the principal's own resolution, no measure is imposed on the offending student and nothing is written in the school record. Instead, an apology, a relationship restoration program, counseling support and the like are carried out, and the school watches to make sure problems do not recur. If needed, the victim student is connected with counseling and treatment.

6. 6

   Even after the principal's own resolution, property damage may not have been restored, or facts not revealed in the investigation may come to light. In these cases, the victim's side can ask for the deliberation committee to be convened (a request by the victim student or guardians is a ground for convening the deliberation committee, School Violence Prevention Act §13(2) item 3). The details of the grounds and deadline for a new request are not set separately by law but follow the Ministry of Education's case-handling standards, so check with the school or the local office of education.

Frequently asked questions

Practical questions that come up right away in this procedure.

QWho submits the consent form for the principal's own resolution, and where?

The victim student and guardians submit it in writing to the school (the dedicated team). The school provides the form, which includes a statement that you do not want the deliberation committee to be convened, and your signature. The offending student's side does not need to agree.

QIf the case ends with the principal's own resolution, does nothing really stay in the offending student's school record?

Yes, nothing remains. Because no measure is imposed on the offending student, nothing is written in the school record (생활기록부).

QIf I change my mind after consenting, can I withdraw?

The principal's own resolution is a procedure that ends once the victim's side confirms in writing that it does not want the deliberation committee to be convened. So it is not easy to undo.However, if property damage has not been restored as promised, the victim's side can ask for the deliberation committee to be convened. The same applies when new facts come to light that were not revealed during the investigation.The grounds and deadline for this request follow the Ministry of Education's case-handling standards, so check with the school. This is why you should first check the medical certificate and your child's wishes before signing.

QI am the guardian of the offending student. Can I request the principal's own resolution?

You have no right to request it. Whether the case is resolved by the principal depends on whether the requirements are met and on the victim's side's consent.All the offending side can do is convey, through the school, its wish to apologize and its plan to make up for the harm. Contacting the victim's side directly to ask for consent may be seen as retaliation or threats.

QDo we have to take part in the relationship restoration program?

It is not a legal duty. It is a program the principal may run when needed. Apology and restoring the relationship are a chance to settle things with the victim's side, so decide carefully whether to take part.