Blue House: President Lee's 'Avoiding School Trips' Remarks Are About Protecting Teachers

Teachers Push Back Against President Lee’s “Students Rarely Go on Outings” Remark
Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung: “Measures to Assist Teachers with Lawsuits Also Under Consideration”

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking ahead of lunch with minor party and independent lawmakers at the Blue House on April 29, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On April 29, the Blue House commented on President Lee Jae-myung's criticism of the growing trend of avoiding school trips and picnics, stating, "The President's remarks align with the idea of providing strong protection for teachers from safety accidents occurring during field trips, and ensuring that teachers are guaranteed to focus on their essential work by alleviating their excessive workload."

Kang Yoo-jung, Chief Presidential Spokesperson, said during a press briefing at Chunchugwan that afternoon, "We are currently preparing specific amendments and details for the relevant laws to protect teachers," explaining the administration's position.

Chief Spokesperson Kang further noted, "The specifics of the amendments or new measures will be developed after collecting feedback from the field and conducting legal reviews, and then discussed with the National Assembly. We are also considering measures to allow teachers to request legal support and compensation so that they do not have to face lawsuits as individuals or struggle with legal proceedings alone."

The previous day, during a Cabinet meeting, President Lee remarked, "These days, it is said that students rarely go on picnics or school trips anymore. But aren't such activities also part of the curriculum?" He added, "Just because you are afraid maggots might appear, you shouldn't get rid of the entire jar," using a metaphor to warn against excessive caution.

Teachers' organizations have expressed criticism. According to current law, if school principals and staff have fulfilled their duty of care for student safety, they are exempt from civil and criminal liability in the event of a school safety accident. However, teachers still worry about being sued individually. As a result, teachers' organizations are demanding improvements to the system, arguing that the conditions for teacher immunity are insufficient.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Chun Haram, floor leader of the Reform New Party, proposed the introduction of a "state liability system for teacher lawsuits" to protect teachers' rights during a meeting with President Lee and minor party and independent lawmakers.

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