An Minseok, 8 Other Education Superintendents: "Teachers' Basic Political Rights Must Be Guaranteed"... Urge Legislation

Nine superintendents of education from across the country, including An Minseok, superintendent of education for Gyeonggi Province, have called for teachers’ basic political rights to be guaranteed, including the right to join political parties and express political views. An and the other superintendents stressed that relevant laws must be amended during the current regular session of the National Assembly to ensure teachers’ basic rights in practice.

An and Lee Byeongdo, superintendent of education for South Chungcheong Province, held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center on the morning of November 10 and announced a joint statement to that effect.

In their statement, the two superintendents voiced support for a collective action on October 21, when more than 5,000 teachers submitted applications to join political parties, and pledged to stand with the teachers. National Assembly members Kim Moon-soo and Baek Seunga also attended the press conference to support efforts to guarantee teachers’ basic political rights.

The superintendents pointed to the reality that teachers who teach democracy must demand basic rights as citizens, and called for improvements to current laws and systems that broadly restrict party membership and the expression of political views. They said the teachers’ collective action was a call for teachers to be respected as equal citizens, transcending differences in the political orientations and organizational structures of teachers’ associations.

They also said that the political neutrality of education and teachers’ basic political rights can coexist. While strictly prohibiting the promotion of any particular political party or viewpoint in classes and educational activities, they said teachers’ rights to express political views as citizens outside school and to join political parties should be guaranteed.

The superintendents also highlighted that although teachers are responsible for implementing education policies on the ground, they have not had a sufficient voice in policymaking and legislation. They stressed that guaranteeing teachers’ basic political rights would lay the foundation for incorporating the views of the education community into policy and advancing educational autonomy.

Gyeonggi Province Superintendent of Education An Minseok holds a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Hall on the 10th with National Assembly member Baek Seunga and Chungcheongnam-do Superintendent of Education Lee Byeongdo to announce a joint statement supporting teachers' basic political rights.

They called on the government and the National Assembly to ▲guarantee teachers’ basic political rights, including the right to join political parties; ▲establish legal standards that protect both the political neutrality of education and students’ right to learn; ▲amend relevant laws during the current regular session of the National Assembly; and ▲prevent teachers from facing unfair disadvantages for demanding that their basic rights be guaranteed. They added that substantial guarantees of rights are needed, going beyond partial improvements such as allowing political contributions or leave of absence for teachers running for office.

An said, “It is a fatal limitation of the current system that teachers, the very people at the heart of education, cannot participate in superintendent elections, the flower of educational autonomy. True educational autonomy can be achieved only when teachers can take an active part in superintendent elections and make their voices heard.”

He added, “We can no longer leave this issue unaddressed,” and urged the National Assembly to take active steps during the current regular session to amend laws to guarantee teachers’ basic political rights.

The joint statement was signed by nine superintendents of education: An Minseok and Lee Byeongdo; Kang Sam-young, superintendent of education for Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province; Kim Seok-jun, superintendent of education for Busan Metropolitan City; Jo Yong-sik, superintendent of education for Ulsan Metropolitan City; Do Seong-hoon, superintendent of education for Incheon Metropolitan City; Kim Dae-jung, superintendent of education for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City; Cheon Ho-seong, superintendent of education for Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province; and Ko Ui-suk, superintendent of education for Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.

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