The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
& Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
Sports
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
Video
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Mon, June 27, 2022 | 11:32
Education
Gov't announces new policies to tackle sexual assault at schools
Posted : 2018-12-21 17:06
Updated : 2018-12-21 19:13
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye, announces new counter measures to better prevent sexual assault and harassments in schools at the Seoul Government Complex, Friday. Yonhap
Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye, announces new counter measures to better prevent sexual assault and harassments in schools at the Seoul Government Complex, Friday. Yonhap

By Kim Hyun-bin

Starting next year, any student who has been sexually assaulted or harassed will be able to immediately transfer schools upon request. In addition, any school officials embroiled in sexual assault claims will be directly investigated by the district education offices.

The decision came from a societal relations ministers meeting which took place at the Seoul Government Complex, Friday, headed by Education Minister Yoo Eun-hye.

"We have come out with the policy with related department heads to better tackle the school #MeToo, issue" Yoo said. "The school needs to fully protect the students and penalize the assailants and we will work towards implementing a gender equality culture."

The new guidelines will be implemented by the end of February next year to prevent secondary damage.

"Currently, there are several sexual violence prevention laws. However, the guidelines are inadequate at times leaving victims no choice but to attend the school where they were victimized at," an education ministry official said.

To better prevent secondary damage, the location of the investigation will be chosen after consulting with the victim and their family. Female police officers will take charge of investigations involving female victims.

The Ministry of Education also plans to create an elementary to high school sexual assault and harassment manual by February.

The government will also recruit 484 additional professional consultants next year bringing the total to 2,715, an increase of 20 percent from this year, to better support the student victims.

Sexual assault prevention education programs will become mandatory for teachers and principals. The government is also seeking to include sexual assault prevention courses for education majors in local universities.

The district education offices will be in charge of the procedures regarding teachers or other school staff members involved in sexual assault claims. An additional department will be established within the education offices, which will be in charge of investigation and deliberation of unwanted sexual encounters.

The results of the investigations will be notified to the victim and the government plans to revise the law so that private school teachers will get the same punishment as public school teachers.

Teachers who are reassigned to a school after receiving disciplinary action for minor sexual abuse will have to take mandatory sexual education courses and undergo individual counseling.

To promote gender equality, the government plans to employ 170 additional teachers in charge of gender equality education programs, while more government-funded research on gender equality will be conducted at universities.

Professors that have been under disciplinary action or accused of sexual assault or harassment will be cut off from research funds and excluded from receiving the fund for a year.

"The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, education and the National Police Agency will work together to counter school 'Me Too,'" Gender Equality minister Jin Sun-mi said. "To prevent accidents from occurring, we will make sure to bring about a culture where gender equality and human rights co-exist."


Emailhyunbin@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
LG
  • Bitcoin, Ethereum extend poor performance on fears of Celsius bankruptcy
  • 'Santa dogs' help rebuild burnt forests in Andong
  • Weakening Korean currency no longer boon for exporters
  • 'Thanks America': Korean honors fallen US soldiers
  • Biden signs gun safety bill into law, takes swipe at Supreme Court
  • North Korea holds anti-American rally to mark war anniversary
  • Israel's endless occupation
  • S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 7,000 for 2nd day as Omicron continues to slow
  • Yoon makes multilateral diplomacy debut at NATO summit
  • Ex-NSC members accused of burying truth behind killing of fisheries official
  • 'Top Gun: Maverick' soars to over 1 million views in Korea 'Top Gun: Maverick' soars to over 1 million views in Korea
  • Jungkook, Charlie Puth collaboration tops iTunes charts in 93 countries Jungkook, Charlie Puth collaboration tops iTunes charts in 93 countries
  • BTS' J-Hope to release 1st solo album next month BTS' J-Hope to release 1st solo album next month
  • Stories of Thai veterans of Korean War to be revisited in webtoon Stories of Thai veterans of Korean War to be revisited in webtoon
  • [INTERVIEW] Yoon Kye-sang enjoys returning to rom-com with 'Kiss Sixth Sense' [INTERVIEW] Yoon Kye-sang enjoys returning to rom-com with 'Kiss Sixth Sense'
DARKROOM
  • Divided America reacts to Roe v. Wade overturn

    Divided America reacts to Roe v. Wade overturn

  • Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

    Namaste: Yogis to celebrate International Yoga Day

  • Poor hit harder by economic crisis

    Poor hit harder by economic crisis

  • Roland Garros 2022

    Roland Garros 2022

  • 75th Cannes Film Festival

    75th Cannes Film Festival

The Korea Times
CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Location
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Service
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Policy
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • 고충처리인
  • Youth Protection Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group