Anchor: Teachers across South Korea have taken leave and are staging massive rallies to memorialize a young teacher who died in an apparent suicide in July while reportedly suffering from stress from dealing with parental complaints. While the teachers are calling for the protection of their rights and authority, the government has condemned the group action for disrupting classes.
Choi You Sun reports.

Report: Teachers around the nation are memorializing a young teacher who apparently took her own life in July amid a claimed struggle with parental complaints over school violence, while pushing ahead with rallies calling to restore their rights in classrooms on Monday.

While the education ministry said 30 elementary schools officially announced a temporary shutdown as of 5 p.m. last Friday, just half a percent of the nation’s total, thousands of teachers are estimated to have taken annual or sick leave to participate in the rallies.

Some schools have notified students and parents that classes would be reduced or merged due to the absence of teachers, while others advised students to apply in advance for a field trip or at-home learning.

With education minister Lee Ju-ho urging teachers to refrain from collective action, the ministry, which earlier warned of disciplinary action, said there has been no change to its principle that such action is a violation of academic calendar regulations as well as leaves by faculty.

Teachers and citizens paid their respects at Seo2 Elementary School in southern Seoul where the young teacher worked, with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education organizing a memorial service to mark the 49th day since her death.

Later in the day, teachers are set to call for a thorough investigation into the death as well as legislative revisions to better protect their rights in front of the National Assembly. Rallies are also set for several other locations throughout the country.

Earlier, President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered comprehensive efforts to restore teachers' rights and to normalize in-school conditions after some 200-thousand teachers held a rally in Seoul over the weekend demanding improvements and protection.

Since the death of the young teacher, three additional teachers have apparently ended their own lives over the past four days, with related investigations under way.
Choi You Sun, KBS World Radio News.