Gyeonggi Superintendent Minseok Ahn Meets with Ruling and Opposition Leaders, Requests Support on Key Education Issues

On September 10, Gyeonggi Provincial Superintendent of Education Minseok Ahn visited the National Assembly to discuss issues such as the Teacher Authority Protection Act, the Teacher Political Rights Act, and matters related to the Local Education Finance Grant Act.

On that day, Superintendent Ahn met consecutively with the leaders of the Democratic Party of Korea and the People Power Party, requesting the National Assembly's cooperation on revising the Local Education Finance Grant Act, amending laws to protect educational activities, and amending the Political Parties Act and the National Public Officials Act to guarantee teachers' basic political rights.

Accompanying the visit to the National Assembly were Kang Juho, President of the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations; Song Suyeon, Chairperson of the Teachers' Union Federation; Park Younghwan, Chairperson of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union; and Park Hyunseok, Senior Deputy Chief of the Teacher Protection Corps at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education.

Superintendent Ahn first recommended the necessity of amending the so-called "three major laws for teacher authority protection"—the Child Welfare Act, the Child Abuse Penalty Act, and the Teacher Status Act—as well as revising relevant laws to ensure teachers' political rights.

Gyeonggi Province Superintendent of Education An Minseok met consecutively with Kim Minseok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (left side of the left photo), and Jang Donghyuk, leader of the People Power Party (right side of the right photo), at the National Assembly on the 10th to seek cooperation on Gyeonggi education issues. Provided by Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education

He also conveyed the problems associated with the amendment of the Local Education Finance Grant Act, underscoring that there has been a significant lack of input from the education sector, and expressed opposition due to concerns about reduced investment in elementary and secondary education.

Minseok Kim, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, stated, "We will listen to the views of the education sector and the public," and added, "I hope education in Gyeonggi Province will lead educational innovation in Korea."

Donghyuk Jang, leader of the People Power Party, commented, "Personally, I have a positive view on teachers joining political parties," and said, "I am aware of the difficulties Gyeonggi Province faces regarding the Local Education Finance Grant Act, and we will ensure there is ample public discussion in the National Assembly."

After the meeting, Superintendent Ahn explained, "The linkage system for the Local Education Finance Grant has been abolished for the first time in 55 years, but there was a severe lack of public discussion," adding, "The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education will take the initiative so that the National Assembly's discussions on the Teacher Political Rights Act, the three teacher authority protection laws, and the revision of the Local Education Finance Grant Act can reflect the wishes of the education sector and the public."

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