Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
Seoul education authority calls for laws safeguarding student rights
Cho Hee-yeon, second from left in the first row, the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE), speaks during a press conference at the city's education office in Jongno District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap
By Jung Da-hyun
Education office to request reconsideration while highlighting need for national-level ordinance
Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) said Monday he will request reconsideration of the city council's decision to repeal the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance until the middle of May.
Cho held a press conference in front of a tent where he was staging a sit-in protest, making clear his strong opposition to the council's decision. He began the protest at the SMOE on Friday, immediately following the decision to scrap the ordinance.
Earlier on Friday, the Seoul Metropolitan Council abolished the ordinance 12 years after its initial enactment during a plenary session of a special committee on human rights.
The committee, composed of 60 members entirely from the ruling People Power Party (PPP), unanimously approved the abolishment proposal.
However, Cho emphasized that the ordinance, first enacted in Seoul in 2012, played a crucial role in ending punishment and discrimination against students based on gender, religion, age, sexual orientation or academic performance and promoted student welfare.
"If the city council proceeds with scrapping the ordinance through reconsideration, we will file a lawsuit for confirmation of invalidity of the repeal," he said.
"We will utilize administrative and legal avenues as much as possible to prevent the abolition."
Cho also noted that it would likely take a significant amount of time before the ordinance is actually repealed.
"The abolition bill might be re-examined at the National Assembly but it looks to be addressed or postponed during an extraordinary meeting in June or a regular session in September," he said.
He also said that if the SMOE files a lawsuit, it will take a considerable period for the Supreme Court to review it.
In addition, Cho criticized the city council for not considering the revised version he submitted last year, which included student responsibilities and obligations.
The amended version aimed to address teachers' concerns after an elementary school teacher took her life inside her classroom in Seoul's Seocho District last July.
An electronic board at the Seoul Metropolitan Council shows the result of a plenary session with a unanimous vote by the 60 members to repeal the Seoul Student Human Rights Ordinance, Friday. Yonhap
The limitation of local government-level ordinances was also pointed out, with assertions highlighting the need for a national-level ordinance that could be applied uniformly.
Currently, as the legal foundation is not robust, ordinances can be enacted or repealed depending on various fluid circumstances, such as changes in the superintendent of education's stance or shifts in local council composition. This may lead to varying levels of rights guarantees or a reduction in projects for students' rights.
Members of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) also attended the press conference, advocating for the necessity of enacting a student human rights law at the national level.
The DPK announced plans to draft legislation on students' human rights, which would outline basic rights and protection measures for students, as part of its pledges for the April 10 general elections.
"In the newly proposed Student Human Rights Act, we will develop exemption provisions for teachers' fair life guidance and daily educational activities on students, considering teachers' concerns," said Rep. Park Ju-min from the DPK.
Park mentioned the possibility that bills like the School Human Rights Act, which includes the rights of both students and teachers, can be discussed within the party when the upcoming 22nd National Assembly convenes.
However, specific details about who will make the representative proposal have not been decided yet.
Meanwhile, Cho continued his sit-in protest in front of the city's education office until 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Following the sit-in protest, he plans to continue communication efforts to build consensus among citizens by operating a mobile office on a bus.