Nearly 190 school violence investigators consisting mainly of retired police officers and teachers have been selected to investigate fights and bullying cases that arise between students starting from the upcoming March semester, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Sunday.

School violence investigators were first introduced in December 2023 to lessen the burden of teachers who were previously responsible for handling and investigating fights between students while being exposed to complaints and harassment from parents in the process.

When school violence cases arise, investigators are responsible for interviewing those involved and writing an investigation report.

According to the education office, around 350 applicants applied to become school violence investigators since the notice was made on Jan. 29 through 11 District Offices of Education in Seoul.

Through a set of interviews, a total of 188 have been selected based on communication skills, personality and their understanding of adolescents. Some district offices also conducted typing tests to see whether candidates would be able to write reports smoothly.

Those selected mainly consist of retired police officers, teachers and youth counseling experts but also include retired military personnel, former prosecutors, administrators and members of organizations specializing in school violence -- mostly in their 50s or above.

“Most of those who applied said that they applied because they wanted to do something good for society,” according to a district education office official. “It’s difficult to become an investigator for a living but most of them applied because they wanted to do something rewarding even after their retirement.”

The education office will conduct one-on-one training sessions from Monday to help develop required common skills for investigators, such as consulting with parents or writing up reports, followed by a week-long practical training session.

The selected school violence investigators will begin their duties on March 2, and training sessions will continuously be provided for the investigators by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to help strengthen their capabilities.

The education office aimed to hire up to 261 school violence investigators, making 188 less than what was initially planned.

The education office stated that some applicants were not selected as they had failed to pass some of the given standards, such as the typing test, and that they would recruit more investigators if deemed necessary.