The Education Ministry has taken steps to follow up on the Labor Ministry’s decision to outlaw the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union.

The ministry held a meeting of education directors on Friday from city and provincial education offices and instructed them to ensure 77 union workers will return to their positions at schools within 30 days.

The ministry warned if the workers fail to return to school by the deadline, they could be subject to disciplinary action including firing. 

The ministry also ordered the union to immediately suspend all ongoing collective negotiations with city and provincial school superintendents, as well as to nullify all collective agreements already concluded.

Collecting union dues from union members’ monthly pay will be banned, and financial support for the union's regional offices will be canceled.