Three Major Teacher Organizations Call for Amendment to Child Welfare Act to Clarify Standards for Emotional Abuse

Three major teacher organizations—the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, and the Teachers' Union—called for an amendment to the Child Welfare Act to protect teachers' rights today, ahead of the third anniversary of the death of a teacher at Seoi Elementary School.

The three organizations held a joint press conference at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, demanding that the government and the National Assembly immediately amend laws related to child abuse, stating, "If teachers cannot teach with peace of mind, students cannot be safe either."

They added, "The constituent elements of 'emotional abuse' under Article 17 of the Child Welfare Act must be clearly defined," and urged, "The standards for emotional abuse should be specified to align with the common judgment of the general public, preventing arbitrary interpretations that can be twisted to suit anyone's needs."

The three organizations further pointed out, "The concept of emotional abuse, which is open to arbitrary interpretation, has become a channel for malicious complaints and retaliatory reports, and its impact is now spreading beyond elementary schools to middle and high schools."

Article 17 of the Child Welfare Act defines "emotional abuse that harms the mental health and development of a child" as one of the prohibited acts. Critics have argued that this provision is too broad, leading to the suppression of teachers' rights.

(Photo: Provided by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.