There is an alternative school in Seoul called Yeomyung School, which is the only accredited educational institution for North Korean-background youth. Cho Myung-sook, the principal of Yeomyung School, says she finds herself bursting into tears easily these days. This is because lingering concerns remain over whether the school, which has drifted from place to place through the years, will truly be able to put down roots this time.
Yeomyung School has been using the former Yeomgang Elementary School building in Gangseo-gu since March 2023, with only seven months remaining before its lease expires next February. Recently, with Hyundai Motor agreeing to cover a portion of the project costs, plans were confirmed to build a new school building on the site, prompting many media reports that Yeomyung School would finally escape its nomadic existence. However, the biggest practical hurdle remaining for Yeomyung School was the "residents' briefing" scheduled for the 12th. Because establishing a permanent home is entirely different from using a site temporarily, school officials had no way of knowing how local public sentiment would lean.
Thirty minutes before the residents' briefing, Principal Cho met with a reporter and choked up once again. Her expression was thick with tension as painful memories from the past resurfaced.
Yeomyung School started in 2004 in a commercial building in Bongcheon-dong, Gwanak-gu. As the number of students grew, it relocated to Namsan in 2008, and from 2019 attempted to move to Eunpyeong-gu to construct a new building. However, vehement opposition from local residents at the time ultimately caused the relocation plan to fall through. The ostensible reason was questioning why a school should be built on a convenience facility site, but it ultimately stemmed from treating a space housing North Korean-background youth as a "dreaded facility."
According to Principal Cho's recollection, a public hearing held in November 2019 felt reminiscent of a denunciation rally against Yeomyung School. Voices echoed from a major corporation's section chief who took half-day leave to voice opposition, a parent who declared their child could not mix with North Korean-background youth, and someone claiming property values would drop. They even had to endure "insulting" questions such as, "To what extent can you take responsibility to ensure the children don't mix?" Scrawls reading "Do not build it even if we die," accompanied by profanities, were left on the site designated for the school. Due to resident resistance, the plan was ultimately withdrawn.
What would happen if residents mounted fierce opposition once again, just as they did in the past? An atmosphere of suspense gripped Yeomyung School officials, who found it hard to relax until the event concluded. Tension hung heavily inside the multi-purpose room at Yeomyung School where the residents' briefing took place. Neither Yeomyung School officials nor Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education officials could guarantee with 100 percent certainty that the event would end smoothly.
The briefing finally began. Greeting the attendees, Principal Cho's voice trembled as she said, "A few defectors have come today. If many positive things are said here today, it is encouragement for you, but even if uncomfortable remarks happen to come up, please do not get hurt."
Was it because of memories from 2019? Following cautious explanations from the Office of Education that the "movement routes" between Yeomyung School and the Early Childhood Education Promotion Institute—which will be built together on the former elementary school site—would be "separated," the floor was finally opened to resident remarks. Would the tense scenes from years prior repeat themselves? A brief moment of silence passed before the first person to raise a hand was Ha Eui-jin, the principal of Sehyeon High School located right next to Yeomyung School. The remarks were somewhat unexpected. Part of what was said is shared below.
"There may be parents from our school here as well, but nevertheless, I personally hold a favorable opinion. Our students must not live alone but rather lead lives of coexistence, and among other things, I hope they grow up to be children who contemplate how we can empathize and live without hostility toward our neighbors who are close yet distant....(omitted).... We intend to create opportunities for our children to live and empathize with students from different regions and varied developmental backgrounds."
Another attendee instead asked whether the students' right to education would be well-guaranteed during the construction period. The attendee added, "Gangseo-gu is aging and lacks young children, so having children bustling about is an encouraging and positive phenomenon." Aside from a few additional questions aimed at clearing up curiosity regarding the Early Childhood Education Promotion Institute that will be newly established alongside Yeomyung School, no major commotion occurred, contrary to officials' expectations. Attendees were merely seen taking notes or photographing the PPT screen from time to time.
The event concluded much more tamely than anticipated, but the people breathing sighs of relief were not just Yeomyung School officials.
A middle-aged female attendee sitting quietly in the back shared that she had previously volunteered in ministry for North Korean defectors and had "come to pray" with the hope that they would settle down this time. Graduates of Yeomyung School also reportedly attended the briefing to show support. Everyone seemed to share an earnest feeling that the scars of the past must not be repeated this time around.
While most attendees had departed and staff members were tidying up the chairs, Principal Cho's eyes were red-rimmed once more. Explaining the reason for her tears, she said, "I was truly moved because people didn't treat the children who defected from North Korea harshly, and everything proceeded just like any ordinary process." Her expression relaxed only after the event had concluded.
In these times when people frequently drift apart and ostracize one another, lowering walls and embracing neighbors is no easy task. This is because individual interests have grown more important and the world has become harsher. However, as I returned from reporting, I found myself mulling over whether the small expressions of empathy voiced that day, along with the "absence" of sharp remarks, might just have demonstrated the possibility that we can live together. Although hurdles still remain to be crossed before the new school building fully opens its doors, I hope it can proceed simply as an "ordinary process," just as Principal Cho mentioned.
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