South Korea Plans Legislative Changes for Teachers with Mental Health Issues

Synopsis

In response to a tragic stabbing incident involving a school teacher and an 8-year-old student, the South Korean government is seeking to amend laws to enforce compulsory leave for teachers facing mental health challenges. This legislative effort aims to enhance safety and prevent future occurrences of similar tragedies.

Key Takeaways

Government seeks to amend law for teachers with mental disorders.
Proposed legislation is named the 'Ha-neul Act' after the victim.
Authorities aim to prevent future tragic incidents.
Both ruling and opposition parties support preventive measures.
Separate case of teacher charged with murder arises.

Seoul, Feb 12 (NationPress) The South Korean government has announced plans to modify existing legislation to require teachers with mental health issues to take compulsory leave. This decision comes in the wake of a tragic incident where a school teacher fatally stabbed an 8-year-old student, shocking the nation this week.

During a meeting with senior education officials in Seoul, Education Minister Lee Ju-ho revealed the initiative, which follows the stabbing incident involving a female teacher in her 40s at an elementary school in Daejeon on Monday, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

“We aim to revise the law to implement essential actions, including compulsory leave, for teachers struggling to perform their duties due to mental disorders,” Lee stated, highlighting that the proposed amendment will be temporarily referred to as the ‘Ha-neul Act’ in memory of the deceased student.

Lee emphasized that authorities will formulate comprehensive strategies to prevent such tragic occurrences from happening again.

Both ruling and opposition parties have urged the establishment of legislation focused on preventive measures following this incident, with the People Power Party intending to engage in discussions with the government regarding these actions.

According to police reports, the suspect, identified by the surname Myeong, had been undergoing treatment for depression since 2018 and had contemplated suicide during a sick leave that commenced last December, prior to her premature return to work.

It has also surfaced that Myeong allegedly assaulted a colleague just days prior to the stabbing, yet educational authorities failed to take any significant action at that time.

In a separate case, another school teacher has been charged with murdering her toddler son and attempting to kill her father in South Korea. The middle school teacher in her 30s, based in North Gyeongsang Province, faces charges related to the death of her 3-year-old son, occurring several months after her failed attempt to kill her father, as reported by Yonhap.

The teacher, whose name remains undisclosed, faces serious charges, and her trial is slated to commence in March at the Gimcheon branch of the Daegu District Court, according to police and educational authorities' sources.