Jeonnam Jeongyojo '3 Dismissed Teachers' Return to the Classroom

Kim Hyunjin, Cho Changik, and Jung Youngmi, former teachers dismissed by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, have returned to the classroom after five years. Photo by Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Three teachers in Jeonnam, who were dismissed by administrative order due to the notification of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (JeonGyoJo) as an illegal union, will return to the classroom after more than five years following the Supreme Court ruling that the illegal union disposition of JeonGyoJo is invalid.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education on the 16th, reinstatement appointment letters were delivered in the main conference room of the government building to teachers Kim Hyun-jin (former Gwansan Nam Elementary School), Jo Chang-ik (former Haenam Jeil Middle School), and Jeong Young-mi (former Goheung Industrial Science High School), who were dismissed by administrative order on January 21, 2016.

Following the reinstatement orders from the Provincial Office of Education, these three teachers will return to the classroom starting on the 17th.

Teacher Kim Hyun-jin was assigned to a school designated by the Gwangyang Education Support Office, Jo Chang-ik to a school designated by the Haenam Education Support Office, and Jeong Young-mi to Goheung High School. At the time of dismissal, Teacher Jo was the head of the Jeonnam branch of JeonGyoJo, Teacher Kim was the senior deputy head of the Jeonnam branch, and Teacher Jeong was the head of the organization office at the JeonGyoJo headquarters.

The Provincial Office of Education plans to restore the administrative and financial disadvantages these three teachers suffered due to the unfair administrative dismissal in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

At the appointment letter ceremony, Teacher Kim Hyun-jin said, “It has been a long journey. It was a time endured with the belief that ‘we are right.’ During this process, I personally grew stronger, and the JeonGyoJo organization became more solid. When I return to school, I will work harder for Jeonnam education and for our children.”

Teacher Jo Chang-ik said, “My first assignment was to Ttangkkeut Village in Haenam. Now I am returning to that very place in Ttangkkeut Village. I don’t know how many stories I can share with our children in the limited time left, but I want to sing hope and dream of a new world together with the children.”

Teacher Jeong Young-mi said, “During the dismissal period, I remember looking at children in Seoul with a stinging feeling in my nose. I am grateful to be returning to the school I longed for so much, and as a teacher who teaches rights and practices them, I will work even harder and make eye contact with the children.”

Superintendent Jang Seok-woong expressed regret over the delay in invalidating the illegal union disposition of JeonGyoJo and the reinstatement of dismissed teachers, saying, “It is a case of too little, too late. It is too late.”

He added, “Since they are returning to the children in difficult circumstances due to COVID-19, I hope they will play a significant role in cultivating hope for our education together.”

Previously, the Ministry of Employment and Labor notified JeonGyoJo as an illegal union in October 2013, and the Ministry of Education dismissed 34 teachers, including these three, by administrative order on January 21, 2016, for refusing to comply with the order to return to school.

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