Cho Hee-yeon "Regret over Police Investigation Results of Seoi Elementary Incident... Will Make Maximum Effort to Recognize Line-of-Duty Death"

Parent Complaint Case Report "A Warning Signal"

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, expressed regret over the police investigation related to the 'Seoi Elementary School Teacher Death Incident.'

Superintendent Cho stated this on the 29th at a press conference held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announcing the 'Seoul Education Internationalization Promotion Plan and Strengthening English Public Education Measures.' Earlier, the police concluded the investigation into the death of a teacher at Seoi Elementary School in Seocho-gu, Seoul, which occurred on July 18, with 'no criminal suspicion.' The bereaved family opposed the police investigation results and requested information disclosure from the police, but the police have not provided the materials.

Superintendent Cho said, "Since the police are part of the same public institution, it is difficult to confront them fully, but I regret the situation," adding, "I hope the Ministry of Education and our joint investigation team at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will review the investigation report more actively, and I feel a sense of sorrow."

He continued, "The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will also form a cross-departmental cooperation team and work closely with the Ministry of Personnel Management to recognize the teacher's death in the line of duty at Seoi Elementary School to the fullest extent possible."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the recent lawsuits filed against some parents who made malicious complaints, he said, "This serves as a warning centered on extreme cases, and although it involves only some parents, it carries the hope that their attitude and approach toward school education will change."

Concerning the student rights ordinance draft presented by the Ministry of Education to each city and provincial office of education on the same day, he explained, "I oppose any regression in the provisions of student rights," adding, "While accountability has already been supplemented in many areas, we intend to approach this with an open attitude, actively addressing any further improvements needed by the Ministry of Education."