As an outcry over a tragic death echoes among educators, South Korean teachers are taking to the streets in the hundreds of thousands. Unbearable pressure within the education system in South Korea, famed for its unrelenting intensity, is drawing urgent calls for change. The protests have intensified following the presumed suicide of a teacher, a tragic event that has been largely attributed to the burdens imposed on teachers in the country.
Teachers express their frustration over the relentless demands and even harassment from disgruntled parents, urging the need for law reforms and greater protection. On Saturday, the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations reported a demonstration of nearly 200,000 protesters. Moreover, despite initial warnings from authorities deeming the strike as "illegal," approximately 50,000 educators gathered in the nation's capital on Monday to remember the deceased teacher.
The teacher's passing occurred at the Seoi elementary school in Seoul where she taught first-grade homeroom. Her death was confirmed on campus on July 18, as per a subsequent announcement by the Education Ministry and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, who led official inquiries into the tragedy. The teacher's identity was not disclosed. Local education superintendent, Cho Hee-yeon, referred to the incident as "the unfortunate decision to take an extreme choice," a phrase commonly utilised in South Korea to allude to suicide. Cho urged for “special measures” to ensure teachers receive additional legal and institutional protection, acknowledging the pressures educators face.
Rumors swirled following the teacher's death, with social media abuzz about disagreements between two students being a potential trigger. The parents of both students involved reportedly met with the teacher prior to her death. Early findings from officials noted that the teacher received multiple phone calls from a parent, causing the teacher discomfort as her personal number had been discovered. Despite these findings, whether the teacher had encountered "verbal violence" from the parent remained uncertain.
South Korean authorities did not detail the exact cause of the teacher's death. Yet, her passing became a sparking point for growing discontent among educational staff who’ve been vocal about their inability to discipline students due to fear of backlash from parents. The suicide rates among public school teachers are alarming; government data indicated that 100 teachers - predominantly at the elementary level - took their lives from January 2018 to June 2023. Critics point to a controversial child abuse law introduced in 2014 as a contributing factor.
The current law allows accusations of child abuse without substantiating evidence, leading to investigations that can put the accused party’s job at risk. Teachers allege this has been exploited by parents who feel their child has been treated unjustly.
Authorities have sought to assuage teachers' grievances, with Seoul education office superintendent Cho advising against a "day of chaos." He suggested creating a consultation body to investigate the Seoi school death and protect students’ right to education. Education Minister Lee Joo-ho urged teachers to refrain from so-called "illegal collective action" but later adopted a more receptive stance towards the striking educators. South Korea's President, Yoon Suk Yeol, expressed solidarity with the teachers' cause, encouraging responses to the issues they raised.
Without amendments to the child abuse law, however, the teachers insist they won't be satisfied. As white funeral wreaths marked the place where the teacher died, teachers and protesters resolved to fight for changes to prevent any more such tragedies.
South Korean society has long had a fraught relationship with mental health and the severe strains posed by its grueling education system. The country records the highest suicide rates among OECD nations, with a worrisome rise noted among teens and young adults.
Students often spend their days moving from regular school to extra tutoring at private academies, followed by solitary study late into the night. Parents, many of whom invest heavily in their children’s education from an early age, share the burden. By 2022, South Koreans had expended an approximate $20 billion on private, supplemental education. A survey by the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations revealed only 23.6% of the 6,751 respondents - teachers at all levels - were content with their jobs, the lowest point following a high of nearly 68% in 2007.
