Party-Government Meeting Held to Strengthen School Safety
Lee Ju-ho: "We Will Prevent a Second Haneul"
Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, announced on the 17th that for high-risk teachers who are unable to perform their duties normally, administrative leave and linked treatment with medical institutions will be supported, and the procedure will be improved so that reinstatement is possible only after recovery is confirmed.
Deputy Prime Minister Lee made this announcement at a party-government meeting held at the National Assembly in the afternoon to strengthen school safety. The meeting was convened to discuss measures to prevent recurrence related to the murder case of the late Kim Ha-neul. Lee emphasized, "The education authorities will strengthen school safety to prevent such tragedies from recurring and to ensure that there will be no second Ha-neul, and will establish thorough measures to prevent recurrence."
Opinions will also be gathered on ways to manage teachers' mental health and provide psychological support from the teacher appointment stage. Lee explained, "We will distinguish between general psychological difficulties and risks of harming others to establish policies that carefully monitor and strengthen support so that teachers working in the field do not suffer additional wounds."
As a measure to dispel parents' concerns about participation in Neulbom School, a principle of face-to-face handover and accompaniment for elementary school first and second graders will be established. Additionally, there are plans to expand closed-circuit television (CCTV) coverage in blind spots and inspect safety inside and outside schools.
Kwon Seong-dong, floor leader of the People Power Party, also called for a thorough investigation. Leader Kwon pointed out, "The perpetrator of the incident, Myung, applied for a six-month leave of absence due to depression in December last year but returned to work after only three weeks," and said, "We need to examine the reasons why an earlier return than originally diagnosed was possible and whether there was any problem with that judgment."
He continued, "In responding to this incident, direction and meticulousness are as important as speed," adding, "It is necessary to actively separate dangerous teachers, but the plan must be carefully designed to avoid side effects. If illnesses are hidden and neglected, the condition may worsen, which will pose a greater risk to school safety."
Furthermore, he stated, "In the mid to long term, expert opinions that amendments to the Mental Health Welfare Act are necessary should also be listened to," and pledged, "We will work together to alleviate parents' concerns and ensure that such tragic incidents never happen again."
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