Yoon: "Engrave Teachers' Voices to Ensure Teachers' Authority and Fully Restore Normalcy in Educational Settings" (Comprehensive)

President-led Chief Secretary Meeting
200,000 Current and Former Teachers Gathered on the 2nd
On Disciplinary Controversy: "Ministry of Education Complies with Law... Flexibility Expected"

Yoon: "Firm Response to Anti-State Acts"
Seemingly Targeting Yun Mye-hyang for Attending Chongryon Event
Presidential Office: "A Member of the National Assembly Attended an Anti-State Organization Event"

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 4th instructed, "Deeply reflect on the voices raised by frontline teachers last weekend and make every effort to establish teachers' authority and normalize the educational field."

President Yoon made this statement during a senior secretaries meeting held at the Yongsan Presidential Office that morning, according to Lee Do-woon, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, in a briefing.

On the same day, frontline teachers named the day, which was the 49th day memorial (49jae), as the "Day of Public Education Stop" and engaged in collective actions such as rallies in front of the National Assembly.

When asked by reporters about the Presidential Office's stance on the Ministry of Education's announcement that disciplinary actions would be taken against teachers who took collective annual leave or sick leave that day, a Presidential Office official responded, "There is the issue of principle and the issue of application in the law. The Ministry of Education, which is responsible for education, needs to comply with the relevant laws," adding, "I believe some flexibility can be exercised in the application of the law."

He continued, "Let us deeply reflect on the cries of frontline teachers last weekend. At the same time, the main message of President Yoon is to establish teachers' authority and normalize the educational field," emphasizing again.

Earlier, 200,000 current and former teachers nationwide, two days before the 49th day memorial of a teacher from Seocho-gu Seo-i Elementary School who died by suicide on July 19, wore black clothes and gathered in front of the National Assembly on the 2nd to demand a thorough investigation of the incident and measures to restore teachers' authority. The teachers participating in the rally at that time demanded the revision of Article 17, Clause 5 of the Child Welfare Act. The clause stipulates that "emotional abuse acts that harm the mental health and development of a child" must not be committed.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The teachers stated, "Emotional abuse acts are being indiscriminately applied, causing legitimate educational activities by teachers to be suppressed, and students fail to learn responsibility, consideration, and self-control." Recently, a teachers' organization filed a constitutional complaint, arguing that vague provisions on emotional abuse punishment in the Child Welfare Act have led to indiscriminate child abuse reports against teachers.

In addition, they demanded ▲strengthening the duties and responsibilities of students, parents, and educational authorities ▲establishing practical response measures to guarantee the educational rights of immediately separated students ▲opening a nationwide unified complaint handling system ▲redefining the concept of school violence ▲separating education and childcare ▲guaranteeing teachers' rights in education ▲and ensuring teacher participation throughout all processes of education-related legislation and policy implementation.

Meanwhile, President Yoon emphasized, "We must firmly respond together with all citizens, regardless of political camps, to anti-state acts that shake and destroy the free democratic national system." This statement is interpreted as targeting Rep. Yoon Mi-hyang, an independent lawmaker who attended the memorial ceremony for Koreans massacred during the Kanto Earthquake hosted by the pro-North Korean organization General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon).

The ruling party and government have unanimously criticized Rep. Yoon's attendance at the Chongryon event. The People Power Party plans to submit a disciplinary proposal against Rep. Yoon at 11 a.m. that day. The Ministry of Unification announced that procedures such as imposing fines would proceed, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also expressed that Rep. Yoon's attendance was "inappropriate."

When asked whether President Yoon's remarks on anti-state acts were aimed at Rep. Yoon, the official said, "Regarding the person you mentioned (Rep. Yoon), the Supreme Court has ruled that Chongryon is an anti-state organization under the National Security Act," adding, "How can our citizens understand a lawmaker who receives taxpayers' money attending an anti-state organization event and even sitting through being called a 'South Korean puppet party'?" he criticized again.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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