Although South Korea introduced five major laws to better protect teachers' rights, many teachers say they still feel powerless and anxious in schools. Experts argue that the recent decrease in reported cases of violations of teachers' rights does not necessarily mean school environments have improved. Instead, they believe many teachers have stopped reporting problems because they think nothing will change and because they fear being accused of child abuse.

These concerns were discussed at a forum on strengthening the protection of teachers' educational activities, jointly hosted by the National Education Commission and the Korean Educational Development Institute on July 9 in Seoul. Researchers, educators, and policymakers gathered to examine the current situation and discuss long-term solutions for rebuilding trust in schools.

Yu Kyung-hoon, a researcher at the Korean Educational Development Institute, presented a survey showing that 93.3 percent of teachers who experienced violations of their rights during educational activities never officially reported them. The most common reason was that teachers believed reporting the problem would not solve anything. Yu explained that even when teachers are eventually cleared of wrongdoing, investigations and complaints from parents can seriously disrupt their daily lives. He argued that teachers are often left to deal with legal and emotional risks on their own.

Professor Jang Deok-ho of Konkuk University also pointed out that Korean teachers face one of the highest levels of stress caused by parental complaints and student violence, while receiving very little support from colleagues within schools. He warned that many teachers feel vulnerable because routine classroom guidance can sometimes lead to accusations of emotionally abusing children. According to Jang, schools have become places where educational issues are increasingly handled through legal processes.

Instead of making temporary legal changes, he suggested giving teachers greater professional authority, improving teacher training based on the German model, and introducing a system in which parents agree to a code of conduct before their children enter school.

Government officials also stressed the importance of stronger cooperation among education-related institutions. Cha Jeong-in, chairperson of the National Education Commission, said that protecting teachers' rights is essential for maintaining order in schools. He added that if the National Education Commission, the Ministry of Education, and local education offices work together toward the same goal, meaningful improvements could be achieved within two years and become firmly established within five years. Ko Young-sun, president of the Korean Educational Development Institute, emphasized that legal reforms alone are not enough and that rebuilding trust among teachers, students, and parents is equally important.

During the discussion, many educators and parent representatives also called for changes to current child abuse laws. They argued that normal classroom discipline should not automatically be treated as child abuse unless there is clear evidence of intentional violence.

Experts also suggested that protecting teachers' rights should become part of a broader effort to reform the education system. They criticized schools for relying too heavily on paperwork and administrative work while students increasingly depend on private education. They argued that schools should provide more personalized learning, including essay-based assessments and detailed feedback, so teachers can focus on education instead of administrative tasks. The National Education Commission and the Korean Educational Development Institute announced that the ideas discussed at the forum will be considered when preparing South Korea's future national education development plan.

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