Some Provincial Education Offices Recommend Watching Live Broadcast of President Yoon Suk-yeol's Impeachment Verdict

With just one day until the impeachment verdict for President Yoon Suk-yeol, some provincial education offices with progressive superintendents are recommending that elementary, middle, and high schools in their jurisdictions watch the live broadcast of the impeachment trial.

According to the education sector on the 3rd, education offices in Incheon, Gwangju, Sejong, North Jeolla, and South Jeolla have sent official documents to schools encouraging the viewing of the impeachment verdict broadcast as part of democratic citizenship education.

Gwangju Superintendent Lee Jung-sun stated, "We will support students in deeply understanding the meaning of democracy and growing as mature democratic citizens through this historic event of the presidential impeachment trial verdict."

Sejong Superintendent Choi Kyo-jin also remarked, "The time of the presidential impeachment trial should be used as an educational process for learning about democracy," and expressed his hope that it would serve as a platform for teachers and students to discuss and learn together.

Emphasis on Teachers' Political Neutrality by Education Offices

The Chungcheongnam-do Education Office announced that students could watch the TV coverage of the presidential impeachment trial in schools, while also emphasizing the obligation of teachers to maintain political neutrality.

A Chungcheongnam-do Education Office official stated, "We recommended using this as teaching material to help students correctly understand the principles of democracy and the constitutional process," and requested that care be taken to avoid political controversies or conflicts in the educational environment.

The education offices in Gyeongnam and Ulsan also provided guidance through official documents regarding the necessity for teachers to comply with their political neutrality obligations and about precautions related to watching the impeachment verdict broadcast.

An Ulsan Education Office official explained, "The broadcast viewing guidelines included instructions for maintaining teachers’ political neutrality, preventing political and social conflicts, and utilizing the viewing time as part of subject classes and creative experiential activities."

Other Education Offices Leave It to Individual Schools

Other education offices have stated that the decision to watch the live broadcast should be determined by individual schools and have no plans for separate official document issuance.

The Seoul Education Office, which has a progressive superintendent, has also decided not to send a separate official document after internal discussions.

However, Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik expressed a positive stance on Facebook, stating, "I hope that the youth who will open the future of Korea will have the opportunity to directly see and discuss the constitutional court's verdict tomorrow, thereby cherishing the precious constitutional values for a long time."

Concerns Raised Over Violation of Political Neutrality in Schools

Concerns about the violation of political neutrality in schools have also been raised within the education sector.

One education sector official reported, "The recommendations for viewing vary according to the ideologies of the superintendents, causing teachers to worry about political neutrality in the field."

Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court is set to announce the impeachment ruling against President Yoon at 11 am on the 4th in the grand chamber. This decision comes 122 days after President Yoon declared a state of emergency.

The impeachment trial verdict will be broadcast live on TV and radio in accordance with the Constitutional Court Act, and this ruling is a significant constitutional moment that determines the impeachment status of the president and is garnering national attention.

The Ministry of Education has not issued official guidance, but each education office and school is exploring various ways to educationally utilize this historic moment.

Image source: President Yoon Suk-yeol attending the 10th hearing in the impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 20th / News1, News1, reference photo for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank