[December 15, Korea Wave] In response to South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol’s declaration of “emergency martial law” and his “impeachment,” students at middle and high schools have been asking questions one after another, leaving teachers at a loss as to how to respond. Students are skeptical as the concepts of martial law and impeachment are terms they have never heard before, while teachers are worried that their explanations will be seen as a violation of political neutrality. For today’s junior high and high school students, emergency martial law is their first experience. This is the first time since martial law was declared during the Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980, and when then-President Park Geun-hye was impeached in 2016, today’s first-year middle school students were only five years old, and current first-year high school students were only eight years old. For this reason, the current state of emergency and impeachment proceedings are very fresh and difficult issues for many students. A female second-year high school student said, “When I heard the word ‘martial law’ on December 3rd, I thought it sounded serious, but I didn’t know what it exactly meant. I was hoping the teacher would explain it in a way that was easy to understand.” Another high school freshman said, “We couldn’t talk about it in detail in class because it was during exam period, but on the way home with my friends we discussed, ‘What is martial law?'” Teachers cannot ignore these questions and are trying to explain them within the scope of history and social studies classes. However, because emergency martial law and impeachment proceedings are directly linked to the current administration’s problems, they are concerned that the explanation may be perceived as a “violation of political neutrality.” The National Public Service Act, Local Public Service Act, Public Offices Election Act, and other laws broadly prohibit teachers from engaging in political activities. A history teacher at a junior high school said, “The week that the state of emergency was declared, the entire school was busy with applications for high school entrance exams, so we didn’t have time to teach related classes,” but added, “I did prepare materials that students could use after the end-of-term exams to answer their questions.” He also emphasized that teaching about the December 3 emergency martial law is not intended to impose a particular ideology, but is intended to educate people about the issues that occurred. Meanwhile, a high school teacher in Seoul said, “Some students who are interested in politics are asking questions enthusiastically, but the political leanings in the area where the school is located are clear, so I worry about how they will respond.” December 15, 2024, 7:00.
I’m glad I wasn’t born a chonk. A stupid chonk who can’t remember kanji. A trash chonk who only knows Hangul. A trash chonk full of functional illiteracy.
All you have to do is explain Article 77 of the Republic of Korea Constitution, right? They should be proud of their own country’s constitution and teach it.
If they want to teach their country’s history correctly, the first thing they should teach is the establishment of the military regime and its political methods, so I think it should be something that all children should know about. I wonder if they’ve sealed it away as shameful history. If so, it makes sense why Koreans can’t have a serious view of history.
Nowadays, middle and high school students have smartphones, so they can look up impeachment and martial law with a quick Google search. Are we talking about some undeveloped country where smartphones aren’t widely used?
>>32 Now that you mention it, that’s true. If you’re a junior high or high school student, I think you should at least research your own country’s constitution. However, the search results for the Constitution of the Republic of Korea will probably be in Hangul. They may be able to read it, but not understand it.
The father of our country refrained from impeachment for the massacre of his own people and embezzlement, but avoided impeachment for the Syngman Rhee Line and the invasion of Takeshima. No history involved. All you have to do is explain the system and let people decide for themselves whether it is good or bad, so it’s easier than just teaching them.
The National Public Service Act, the Local Public Service Act, the Public Offices Election Act, and other laws broadly prohibit teachers from engaging in political activities. What about Japan? I get the impression that the left is doing whatever they want.
>>47 In Japan, political activity is prohibited for civil servants, and religious activity is also prohibited. But this only applies to civil servant teachers, so private school teachers are free to do as they please.
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