"School Districts Like Rental Apartments?"... Backlash Against Apartment School District Adjustments Ultimately Hits Hard

Resident Association "Concerns Over Apartment Image Decline"
Residents "Adults Should Not Promote Discrimination"

A residents' representative meeting of an apartment complex in Sejong City collectively opposed being grouped into the same school district as rental apartments, but instead faced widespread criticism. A post published by the residents' representative meeting of an apartment in Sejong [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Bong-ju] A residents' representative meeting of an apartment complex in Sejong City faced backlash after collectively opposing being grouped into the same school district as rental apartments.

According to the Sejong City Office of Education and residents on the 21st, the education office recently issued an administrative notice regarding changes to the school district of the 4-1 Living Zone (Bangok-dong) for the 2021 academic year elementary school attendance zones and began collecting residents' opinions.

The main point of the administrative notice is to add apartments and mixed-use complexes that are about to be occupied to the current Solbit Elementary School district, which currently includes three apartment complexes.

In response, the residents' representative meeting of Apartment A, currently in the Solbit Elementary School district, posted a leaflet titled "Solbit Elementary School District Adjustment Issue" to oppose the education office's administrative notice.

They argued that if the school district is adjusted, the number of students would increase, potentially leading to "bean sprout classrooms" (overcrowded classrooms).

They also cited increased traffic volume on nearby roads as a reason for opposition, claiming it would be dangerous.

However, the real reason they opposed the school district adjustment was that the adjusted district would include rental apartments.

Through the leaflet, they stated, "The inclusion of rental apartments in the school district adjustment target raises concerns about the deterioration of the apartment's image."

They feared that if children living in rental apartments attended the same school as their own children, it could lead to a decline in apartment prices.

They urged residents to participate in the education office's opinion collection process.

Residents of Apartment A who saw the post immediately opposed it, saying, "Adults are fostering discrimination that could harm children."

Apology Letter from the Representative of Residents of an Apartment in Sejong [Photo by Yonhap News]

As criticism intensified, the residents' representative of Apartment A resigned from the position along with an apology.

In the apology, the representative said, "I am sorry for causing great hurt and damage to the apartment residents, Solbit Elementary School parents, and local residents," adding, "I deeply feel responsible and will step down as the chairman of the residents' representative meeting and reflect on my actions."

Regarding this, a representative from the Sejong City Apartment Residents' Representatives Association said, "It is unfortunate that this incident occurred," and added, "It was probably not intentional to disparage rental apartment residents, but it is regrettable that such thoughtless actions happened."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.