Minister Choi Hwee-Young Visits School Arts Instructors’ Hunger Strike Site, Vows to “Strive for Increased Budget”

Minister Choi Pledges Budget Increase and Improved Treatment
Seokju Sung Ends Hunger Strike After Meeting

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwee-Young Choi announced through social media on the 24th that he will do his utmost to increase the budget for supporting school arts instructors.

On this day, Minister Choi stated that he personally met with Seokju Sung, the National Division Head of the Arts Instructors’ Department of the National School Irregular Workers’ Union, who has been staging a hunger strike for seven consecutive days, demanding better treatment for school arts instructors.

Since August 18, Seokju Sung, the National Division Head of the Arts Instructors’ Department of the National School Irregular Workers’ Union, has been holding an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Blue House to demand an increase in the 2027 budget for the School Arts Instructor Support Project, national funding for arts instructor wages, and improved working conditions. Minister Choi announced that after meeting with Seokju Sung, he agreed to end his hunger strike and to continue discussions.

Choi Huijeong, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism (right), met with Sung Seokjoo, National Head of the Arts Instructor Division of the National School Irregular Workers' Union, who has been fasting in protest in front of the Blue House for seven days on the 24th demanding improved treatment for school arts instructors. Choi expressed his commitment to do his best to increase the budget support for school arts instructors. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Minister Choi said, "I earnestly requested that Division Head Seokju Sung end his hunger strike," adding, "I promised that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism would actively strive to increase the budget for school arts instructor support, and I suggested we establish a labor-government consultative body to continue discussions for ensuring more stable working conditions." He continued, "Fortunately, and with great appreciation, Division Head Seokju Sung accepted my sincere request, made the bold decision to end the hunger strike, and stood up from his protest site."

Launched in 2000 and now in its 27th year, the School Arts Instructor Support Project is a government initiative that dispatches and supports arts instructors to elementary, middle, and high schools to promote arts education. However, after the Yoon Suk-yeol administration significantly cut national funding from 2024, the project’s 2025 national budget has been reduced by 86% compared to 2023, leaving its future in jeopardy.

In January of this year, President Lee Jaemyung instructed a full restoration of arts instructor wages, and a special grant of 18.5 billion won was executed in May. Nevertheless, the national funding from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for arts instructor wages has still not been restored. Currently, arts instructors’ wages are being paid out of budgets allocated by city and provincial offices of education, and according to the labor union, arts instructors remain in a precarious employment and income situation.

Minister Choi emphasized, "The school arts instructor project is truly important, as it helps our children foster cultural and artistic sensitivity, discover their talents within schools, and this learning becomes the firm foundation for enjoying culture and arts throughout Korea," pledging, "I will do my utmost, through close consultation with related agencies such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Economy and Budget, to find practical alternatives that instructors can genuinely feel."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.