Urgent Party-Government Meeting on the Eve of 'Public Education Stop Day'... "Promoting Measures to Restore Teachers' Authority"

The People Power Party, the government, and the Presidential Office held a high-level party-government meeting on the 3rd, a day before the teachers' announced 'Day of Public Education Halt,' to discuss countermeasures.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the afternoon of the same day, the party and government held a closed high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, to discuss measures related to the teachers' collective action on the 4th and the progress of plans to restore teachers' authority.

Attending the meeting from the party were Representative Kim Ki-hyun, Floor Leader Yoon Jae-ok, Policy Committee Chair Park Dae-chul, and Secretary-General Lee Cheol-gyu. From the government, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho participated, along with Kim Dae-gi, Chief Secretary of the Presidential Office.

After the meeting, Chair Park stated, "The party plans to swiftly implement comprehensive measures to restore teachers' authority, including the 'Four Laws for Restoring Teachers' Authority' announced by the Ministry of Education at the end of last month."

The 'Four Laws for Restoring Teachers' Authority' are amendments to the Teacher Status Act, Framework Act on Education, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and Early Childhood Education Act, which include provisions such as not considering teachers' legitimate disciplinary actions as child abuse and making school principals responsible for handling complaints.

Floor Leader Yoon is expected to attend the memorial gathering for the 49th day of the Seoicho teachers in front of the National Assembly on the 4th to express condolences.

Chair Park emphasized, "The party deeply understands the difficulties faced by teachers and holds the position that teachers should be freed from malicious complaints."

Meanwhile, the meeting was originally scheduled to be held publicly with agendas including measures to promote seafood consumption related to the discharge of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan and strategies for the regular National Assembly session. However, the agenda and attendees were changed, and the meeting was held behind closed doors.

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