Gyeonggi education office urges parliament to amend three teacher-protection laws
In short
Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education held a press conference at the National Assembly on 22 October, 60 days after launching its 300 teacher-protection officers, and proposed amending three laws. It reported 170 cases received as of 8 October and plans a legislative forum in parliament on 6 November.
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Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education proposed amending three laws at a press conference held on 22 October at the National Assembly's Sogwanjang press hall in Seoul. The event marked 60 days since the office's teacher-protection officers began work. The office calls the Child Welfare Act, the Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes and the Teachers' Status Act the three teacher-protection laws. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Under the Child Welfare Act, the office proposed clarifying the criteria that separate emotional child abuse from legitimate educational activity, and ensuring that information about teachers cleared or acquitted does not remain unnecessarily, according to Seoul Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily. For the abuse-punishment act, it proposed letting cases without suspicion be closed at the police stage and making sure the superintendent's opinion is fully considered during investigations. Seoul Shinmun added a proposal to exclude legitimate educational activities from the special rule suspending the statute of limitations. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
For the Teachers' Status Act, the office proposed clarifying the basis for education authorities to file complaints over malicious false reports, and strengthening support for hiring lawyers and paying legal costs in lawsuits tied to legitimate educational activity. The documents say it also seeks a legal basis for the teacher-protection officers. Yonhap reported that the office urged raising the Gyeonggi ordinance on operating the officers to the level of a law. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The office appointed 300 teacher-protection officers, who began field support on 22 August, and Seoul Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily describe this as a first in the country. As of 8 October it had received 170 cases: 81 on infringement of educational activities, 39 on teachers reported for child abuse and 50 on malicious complaints and similar matters. Yonhap reported that 149 were being handled and 21 were closed or under continued management. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Seoul Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily said the officers are assigned case by case and link legal, administrative and psychological support, from school visits to follow-up. They said the office is also discussing itinerant teacher support and service-related measures for affected teachers. With teacher groups, it submitted a petition with about 5,000 signatures to a court for three teachers facing damages lawsuits. Lawmaker Baek Seung-ah of the Democratic Party, teacher groups and union officials attended the press conference, according to Seoul Shinmun. [ 2 , 3 ]
Superintendent Ahn Min-seok said the education office can stand beside teachers, but protecting them over time requires law and institutions behind it. He called on the National Assembly to answer with law, according to Seoul Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily. Yonhap also quoted him as asking the government to make more effort to restore teachers' authority. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The office plans a legislative forum at the National Assembly on 6 November to gather views from the field and experts. It also aims to set up a teacher-protection bureau on 1 March 2027 through a reorganisation, according to Seoul Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The office says support from the education office alone cannot solve some problems it found and asks parliament to change the law. Whether parliament acts is not stated in the documents.
Key facts
- The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education held a press conference at the National Assembly's Sogwanjang press hall on 22 October to mark 60 days since its teacher-protection officers began work. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- It proposed amending the Child Welfare Act, the Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes and the Teachers' Status Act, which it calls the three teacher-protection laws. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The office appointed 300 teacher-protection officers, who began field support on 22 August; Seoul Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily describe this as a first in the country. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- As of 8 October the office had received 170 cases: 81 on infringement of educational activities, 39 on teachers reported for child abuse and 50 on malicious complaints and similar matters. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Of the 170 cases, 149 were being handled and 21 were closed or under continued management, according to Yonhap. [ 1 ]
- The office plans a legislative forum at the National Assembly on 6 November. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The office is pursuing a reorganisation with the aim of setting up a teacher-protection bureau on 1 March 2027. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education proposed amending the Child Welfare Act, the Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes and the Teachers' Status Act at a National Assembly press conference on 22 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The office reported 170 cases as of 8 October: 81 infringement of educational activities, 39 child-abuse reports against teachers and 50 malicious complaints and similar. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The proposals include allowing cases with no suspicion to be closed at the police stage, clarifying the basis for education authorities to file complaints over malicious false reports, and strengthening lawyer and legal-cost support for teachers. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The office will hold a legislative forum at the National Assembly on 6 November. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Who spoke as deputy head of the teacher-protection team. Yonhap names the deputy head as lawyer Ahn Min-seok and also names Superintendent Ahn Min-seok as head of the team; Seoul Shinmun mentions a deputy head without a name, so the documents do not settle this.
- Whether parliament will take up the proposed amendments. The documents report only the proposals and the planned 6 November forum, with no response from lawmakers beyond one lawmaker attending the press conference.
- Details of the proposal to exclude legitimate educational activities from the statute-of-limitations suspension rule. Only Seoul Shinmun mentions it.