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🇰🇷 South Korea /Conflict & Security

Teacher Arrested After Rooftop Protest Demanding Reinstatement Over Sexual Violence Report

From Hankyoreh · (7h ago) Korean Critical tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Teacher Ji Hye-bok, who reported on school sexual violence, was arrested after staging a rooftop protest at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.
  • Ji and supporters claim the arrest was violent and illegal, demanding the reinstatement of Ji and an apology from the education authorities.
  • Ji was dismissed after reporting sexual violence and being transferred, despite a court ruling in January invalidating the transfer and ordering reinstatement.

The forceful arrest of teacher Ji Hye-bok, a whistleblower who bravely exposed sexual violence within schools, is a deeply concerning development. Ji's rooftop protest at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, demanding reinstatement after being unfairly dismissed, was met with a swift and, according to supporters, overly aggressive response from the police.

The police unreasonably handcuffed citizens and male police officers forcibly carried female protesters by their limbs and put them in police cars.

— Song Ye-eunDescribing the alleged excessive force used during the arrests.

This incident is not just about one teacher; it's about the suppression of whistleblowers and the accountability of educational authorities. Despite a court ruling in January that invalidated Ji's transfer and ordered reinstatement, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has seemingly stalled, prompting Ji's desperate act of protest. The subsequent arrest, along with several citizens who were supporting Ji, has been condemned as excessive, with allegations of unnecessary force being used.

Is it a difficult demand to reinstate a teacher who publicly reported sexual violence and withdraw their unfair dismissal?

— Song Ye-eunQuestioning the authorities' response to the demands.

Supporters argue that the actions of the police and the continued inaction of the education office, particularly Superintendent Choeng Geun-sik, create a chilling effect on those who dare to speak out against injustice. They are demanding not only Ji's immediate reinstatement but also an apology and support for the victims and those arrested. This situation raises critical questions about the protection of whistleblowers in South Korea and the willingness of institutions to uphold legal rulings and ethical standards. The fight for justice and accountability in our education system continues.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has been delaying reinstatement with all sorts of excuses and violently suppressing protests demanding reinstatement.

— Lee Sang-hyunCriticizing the education office's handling of the situation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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