Violence Against Educators in South Korea Brings New Legislation
In South Korea, educators remain silent in the face of student attacks due to fear of being accused of child abuse. Last month, a video of a student slapping a vice-principal at an elementary school in South Korea went viral on social media. The footage, released by the Jeonbuk Teachers’ Union, showed a third-grade student attacking the vice-principal, who was trying to prevent the student from leaving school without permission, and verbally abusing him. The vice-principal, standing passively with his hands behind his back, was attacked while the student succeeded in leaving the school.
Commenting on the issue, Kim Dong-seok, the director of teachers’ rights at the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations, said, “Some people may ask, ‘Why doesn’t he hold the child’s hands and stop him?’ Such comments show a lack of understanding of reality.” Dong-seok pointed out that teachers in South Korea are often silently abused by students and parents, with many cases going unreported due to fear of retaliation.
According to government data, approximately 100 public school teachers in South Korea committed suicide due to pressure and violence from students and parents between January 2018 and June 2023. These tragic deaths led to nine weeks of protests by educators nationwide, demanding measures to protect their rights. Under new legislation, educators accused of child abuse will now face further investigation and evidence collection before any suspension. Additionally, complaints and lawsuits from parents will be the responsibility of principals, not teachers, and parents will no longer be given teachers’ personal information.