Teacher Ji Hye-bok, who reported sexual violence at school, to return on September 9

After three years and three months away from the school where she first counseled students, teacher Ji Hye-bok is returning to finish the final semester before retirement.

“I was happy to be able to finish the last semester before retirement at school, although it was a difficult time,” Ji said. She also apologized for failing to keep her promise to establish a gender-equal school culture before the affected students graduated.

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It took three years and three months from the day I first counseled the affected students until I could return to school.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said on September 8 that it had reached an agreement with Ji and a joint committee supporting her reinstatement. Ji will return to her original school on September 9. Seoul education superintendent Jung Keun-sik formally apologized to Ji, the affected students and their caregivers.

Under the agreement, the education office will support a stable return, including payment of wages withheld during the period of dismissal. An investigation and evaluation team including outside experts will examine how the school sexual-violence case was handled, as well as Ji's transfer and the protection process for public-interest whistleblowers. The investigation must finish within three months of the agreement, after which the office will take action under relevant laws and procedures on identified problems and responsibility.

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It was a difficult time, but I am happy to finish the last semester before retirement at school.

The office also agreed to review procedures for investigating school sexual-violence cases and supporting affected students' protection and recovery. It will promote gender-equality education and improvements to school culture, while reviewing systems designed to prevent disadvantages for public-interest whistleblowers.

Ji was serving as counseling head at a middle school in May 2023 when she sought a student-rights remedy from the education office after the identities of affected students were exposed during procedures to address their cases. She was transferred in February the following year. After she protested, saying the move was retaliation, the education office dismissed her for alleged unauthorized absence. A court overturned the transfer in January, recognizing Ji as a public-interest whistleblower, and overturned the dismissal in July.

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I am sorry that I could not keep my promise to create a gender-equal culture at school before the affected students graduated.