Teachers' Groups on 'Cheongju High School Stabbing': "Teacher Safety Not Sufficiently Guaranteed"

"Swift and Accurate Investigation Needed,
Measures Must Be Established"

Following an incident in which a student wielded a weapon and injured seven people at a high school in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, teachers' organizations have called for measures to prevent a recurrence.

Police and others are assessing the situation at a high school in Cheongju where a student wielded a weapon in a violent incident on the 28th. Photo by Yonhap News

The North Chungcheong branch released a statement on the 28th, saying, "We express our deep regret over this incident and extend our heartfelt condolences to all those affected." The branch added, "This case demonstrates that the safety of teachers engaged in educational activities is not structurally guaranteed."

It continued, "We strongly urge the Provincial Office of Education and all relevant authorities to swiftly and accurately determine the facts of the incident and to establish concrete and effective measures to ensure that such tragic events never happen again."

The North Chungcheong Teachers' Union also issued a statement the same day, expressing "serious concern over the current situation in which the safety of school members is under significant threat."

The union stated, "After the recent elementary school student murder in Daejeon, the government's measures have mainly focused on teachers. At that time, the teachers' union emphasized that violence by students against teachers was also a serious issue, and that measures to address violence occurring in schools should target all school members who are present on campus." The union added, "When warning signs of violence manifest in a school member's actions, immediate separation by administrative authority and follow-up measures based on professional assessment must be implemented."

The union further noted, "It has been reported that the perpetrating student is a recipient of special education services." The union stressed, "Careful institutional improvements are needed to ensure that this incident does not lead to misunderstandings about students eligible for special education or to a reduction in special education services. Practical guidelines for behavioral intervention and tailored support to address emotional, behavioral, and psychological issues among special education students must be established."

Additionally, the union urged the government "to deploy additional safety personnel at schools with a high risk of violence to respond to emergency situations, and to promptly establish procedures and methods for staff to handle urgent violent incidents."