The National Teachers' Union in South Korea is calling for a complete review of the proposed law on the establishment of integrated special cities, claiming it threatens public education by fostering competition between regions.
The National Teachers' Union (μ κ΅μ‘°) in South Korea has raised significant concerns over the proposed Special Act for the establishment of integrated special cities currently being discussed in the National Assembly. They argue that the legislation, which aims to reorganize regional educational governance, will undermine the foundation of public education and lead to increased competition among regions. On the 24th, the union issued a statement highlighting how the law could deepen educational inequality and create a hierarchy among schools, urging lawmakers to reconsider the education-related provisions within the act.
The National Assembly's Legislative and Judiciary Committee recently approved the bill for establishing an integrated special city in Jeonnam and Gwangju under the leadership of the Democratic Party, while similar proposals for Daegu-Gyeongbuk and Chungnam-Daejeon have been postponed. This legislation allows for the delegation of authority regarding city ordinances related to educational policies, which were previously determined by presidential or educational ministry directives, and enables local education offices to autonomously manage academic operations and curricula, thereby expanding the notion of autonomous schools. Furthermore, it simplifies the process for establishing gifted and science schools, and broadly permits foreign educational institutions.
The union expressed its concern that such changes would disrupt the fundamental principles and minimum standards of education, which should be legally ensured rather than influenced by competitive regional dynamics. They assert that diverting public finances to favor specific school models poses a significant risk. If special laws treat elite schools and international programs as incentives for regional development, education may be transformed from a public policy goal into a tool for competition. Additionally, the transfer of substantial educational authority from the central government to local mayors and education superintendents might not strengthen educational autonomy, but rather exacerbate competition between regions and further destabilize public education. The union firmly believes that education should not be treated as a subsidiary area of administrative or industrial policy.
