Manual to Guide Reporting Procedures for Serious Violations of Teachers' Rights... 'School Life Record Entry' Excluded

Separation of Victimized Teachers and Students by Principals in Serious Cases
Complaint Channels Unified to Main Phone Number and "Eardream" System

The government is preparing a manual recommending that superintendents directly file criminal complaints in cases of serious violations of teachers' rights. The proposal to record such violations in students' school life records has been excluded due to concerns raised within the education sector.

On January 22, the Ministry of Education, together with the Council of Superintendents of Education of the Republic of Korea, announced measures to strengthen the response to school complaints and the protection of educational activities. The ministry had revised five laws related to teachers' rights following the death of a Seoi Elementary School teacher in 2023, but as unusual complaint cases continued to occur, these additional measures were introduced.

The manual includes procedures and methods for reporting, recommending that the Teachers' Rights Protection Committee review cases such as assault, sexual harassment, and distribution of obscene materials, and that the relevant authority (the superintendent) file a complaint directly. The manual will also specify the principal's authority and actions regarding unusual complainants. An amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act containing these provisions is currently under discussion in the National Assembly.

Measures to separate victimized teachers and students will be strengthened. In cases involving injury, assault, or sexual violence, the principal will be able to suspend attendance or change classes even before the Teachers' Rights Protection Committee makes a decision. In addition, penalties for parents who refuse to participate in special education or psychological counseling following interference with educational activities will be increased. Currently, fines are imposed based on the number of absences, but going forward, the fine will be raised to 3 million won regardless of the number of absences.

School complaint channels will be unified to official channels designated by each school, such as the school's main phone number (landline) and the online "Eardream" system. Complaints via teachers' personal phone numbers or social media accounts will be prohibited. Eardream is a system that manages school life counseling and complaints, and refers unusual cases that are difficult for the school to handle to the relevant authority. Based on the results of last year's pilot operation of Eardream, the Ministry of Education plans to develop more detailed operational guidelines.

The proposal to record violations of teachers' rights in students' school life records, which had sparked controversy in the education sector, will be subject to further discussion. The Ministry of Education explained, "Teachers' organizations and unions are divided on the issue, and some local education offices and parents have also expressed concerns, so it has been excluded from the current measures," adding, "We plan to thoroughly discuss the matter during the legislative process in the National Assembly and consider whether to include it."