Lee Jae-myung: "Repealing the Student Human Rights Ordinance is a Political Regression"

Lee "Teacher's authority issue is unrelated to student rights"
"Suppressing student rights to uphold teacher's authority? Anachronistic"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, "The People Power Party's abolition of the Student Human Rights Ordinance in the Seoul Metropolitan Council and Chungnam Provincial Council, where they hold the majority, is a political regression that drives a nail into student rights."

At the Supreme Council meeting held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 29th, Lee said, "I am concerned that the People Power Party still does not properly understand the will of the people and may be acting against it," adding, "The People Power Party insists that the Student Human Rights Ordinance is the cause of the decline in teachers' authority, but they are clearly mistaken." He then fiercely criticized, "Isn't it an unreasonable act to divide students and teachers and even misuse education as a tool for factional confrontation?"

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is arriving at the National Assembly on the 29th. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

He stated, "The issue of teachers' authority arises from the collapse of public education and is not directly related to student rights," and added, "Student rights and teachers' authority should complement each other and develop together." He continued, "What politics should do is to institutionally support this process," emphasizing, "Student rights should not be sacrificed for political gain." Furthermore, he said, "The Democratic Party will actively work on related legislation to guarantee the rights of both students and teachers," and added, "The government should also strive to create an educational environment where teachers can focus solely on teaching children."

At the meeting, Go Min-jung, a Supreme Council member who attended, also expressed concern over the abolition of the Student Human Rights Ordinance. She said, "The Student Human Rights Ordinance, implemented in six education offices including Seoul, guarantees rights such as the right not to be discriminated against and the right to be free from violence and danger," adding, "These are universal rights that everyone, as citizens, should enjoy, and there is no reason for students to be restricted because of their status." She further stated, "Although it was abolished by People Power Party city council members, we will enact related laws at a higher legal level."