Chungam High School Temporarily Relaxes Dress Code for School Attendance
"To Prevent Unfair Treatment Situations"
Yoon, Kim Yong-hyun, and Others Spark 'Chungampa' Controversy
Chungam High School, Eungam-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. The building on the left is Chungam Middle School. Photo by Heo Young-han
Former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun and other so-called 'Chungam faction' figures have been identified as key players in the martial law incident, prompting the school to announce a temporary relaxation of the dress code for students' safety during school attendance.
On the 6th, an online community post titled "Today's Chungam High School Home Notice" was uploaded. According to the notice, Chungam High School stated, "In light of the recent serious national situation and the increased public attention on our school, to prevent students from being unfairly treated by some unreasonable citizens during their commute, the school will temporarily relax the dress code from December 9, 2024, to February 6, 2025 (the closing ceremony of the 2024 academic year)."
However, the notice added, "Wearing clothing with forms or patterns deemed inappropriate to a student's role by social standards (such as obscene or antisocial designs) remains prohibited." It also urged, "If students experience unfair treatment outside, please respond calmly, and if the behavior is excessive, promptly report it to the school or police station, and record the situation using a mobile phone or other devices." The revelation that figures related to the martial law incident, including President Yoon, former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, Commander of the Defense Counterintelligence Command Yeo In-hyung, and Commander of the 777th Command Park Jong-seon, are alumni of Chungam High School has reportedly placed current students in a difficult position.
Earlier, Yoon Myung-hwa, Chairman of the Chungam Foundation, expressed on her social media account the previous day, "The Chungam school office has been flooded with protest calls all day, and school bus drivers reported that passersby have been provoking them." She lamented, "I want to select Yoon Seok-yeol and Kim Yong-hyun as the most shameful graduates of Chungam a million times." She continued, "There has even been a petition to change the school's name. This damages the nation's dignity and the school's honor," adding, "The current foundation is still struggling against the shameless appeal lawsuit from the corrupt former foundation." In another post, she expressed sympathy, saying, "I wonder what kind of emotional distress Chungam students are going through."
Subsequently, Chairman Yoon told the education media outlet [Chang], "Because of having wrong predecessors like Yoon Seok-yeol's group, who led the martial law declaration, Chungam High School students are now suffering," and "Current students are very disappointed with this martial law incident." She also explained the reason for posting, saying, "Because of these people, our Chungam High School students are being insulted, but what fault do the students have? As the chairman of the Chungam Foundation, I feel sorry to the public and burdened with guilt." She previously served as the first Student Rights Advocate of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, an 8th-term member of the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and director of the Seoul Innovation Center, and currently serves as the 13th chairman of the Chungam Foundation.
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