The leading contenders in South Korea’s presidential race turned their focus to education Thursday — which was Teachers’ Day in Korea — emphasizing the need to restore respect for teachers and create a safer, freer environment for educators.
Lee Jae-myung, the nominee of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, pledged to strengthen institutional protections for educators, stressing that the quality of education depends on the respect society affords its teachers.
In a platform released Thursday, he promised to enhance teacher authority protection systems in schools so educators can focus on instruction without fear of excessive complaints or legal exposure.
“Teachers must be happy for students to be happy,” Lee said.
Lee also vowed to uphold teachers’ political freedoms by guaranteeing their right to engage in political activity outside working hours.
For students, Lee emphasized a stronger focus on civic education at all school levels. He proposed expanding curricula in democracy, human rights, environmental issues, and history to help students grow into socially responsible citizens with critical thinking skills.
His higher education policy includes a plan to develop 10 regional universities into institutions on par with Seoul National University. The goal, Lee said, is to reduce Seoul-centric academic concentration and turn regional schools into world-class research hubs that can drive local innovation.
Kim Moon-soo, the conservative People Power Party candidate, also placed teacher protection at the heart of his campaign, along with sweeping governance reforms.
He pledged to establish a system in which education offices would cover teachers’ legal fees through designated law firms when they are sued in the course of duty.
Another key pledge was to abolish the current direct election system for provincial education superintendents, which Kim criticized as politicized and ineffective. He proposed replacing it with either a running mate system tied to provincial governors or direct appointments by local leaders.
Kim also vowed to close funding gaps between kindergartens and daycare centers and expand free education and childcare services for children aged 3 to 5. His platform includes modernizing classrooms with AI-powered digital textbooks and enhancing digital literacy education.
Lee Jun-seok, the nominee of the minor conservative New Reform Party, focused his education platform on reducing non-teaching burdens and restoring academic priorities in schools.
Lee said schools have been forced to take on excessive caregiving roles that go beyond their educational function, criticizing what he described as populist education policies.
“From the perspective of parents and voters, it’s understandable they want schools to ease their child care burdens,” he said during a visit to Seoul National University of Education.
“But this has reached a level that is no longer sustainable for teachers on the ground. We need to bring schools back to what they’re meant to be — places for learning.”
To support teachers, he proposed deploying dedicated legal personnel to assist in disputes and assigning assistant teachers to help manage student behavior. He also pledged to impose stronger penalties for false accusations against educators.
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