Foreign Teachers Seek Dialogue With Hagwon Owners
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
A group of foreign English teachers proposed to open a dialogue channel with the runners of foreign language institutes, or hagwon, to work together for the common goal of the development of English language education.
The teachers recently formed the Association for Teachers of English in Korea (ATEK) and plan to register itself as a non-profit incorporation with the Ministry of Labor next month.
Their suggestion came days after the Korea Association of Foreign Language Academies (KAFLA) told The Korea Times that it opposes the formation of such a representative body for foreign teachers.
Board members of the hagwon association said they cannot acknowledge ATEK as a body that is entitled to represent foreign English teachers.
In response, ATEK said it wants to talk with the hagwon association.
``ATEK was disappointed after reading the statements made by KAFLA in The Korea Times. We regret that our relationship with them is starting out in this way, as ATEK and KAFLA share similar goals, such as the professional development of members and improving English language education,'' said Tony Hellmann, ATEK media relations officer. ``ATEK believes that working together, we can do more than we can working separately.’’
He asked KAFLA to have an open discussion with ATEK about what they have in common and what they can do together to meet common goals.
Upon the suggestion, KAFLA indicated they could meet the leaders of the foreign teachers' group but that does not mean that they acknowledge ATEK as a representative body.
``We cannot acknowledge the body. Still, we can meet them on an individual basis to discuss some issues,’’ said its general director Choi Chang-jin.
Regarding this, ATEK member and legal attorney Lee Seung-ju said "Any attempt to prevent foreign teachers from forming an association would constitute a breach of labor law as well as the Constitution."
ATEK has drawn about 200 members so far and will complete all paperwork for the registration with the authority, with an aim to become the first national organization for foreign teachers.
The National Institute for International Education Development, under the Education Ministry, and Korean teachers' groups reacted positively to the movement by foreign teachers at schools and private language institutes.