*Disclaimer: This article discusses sensitive topics, including self-harm—reader discretion is advised.*
“My chest feels so stuffy. I feel like I’m going to fall somewhere. I don’t even know where I am,” a Korean elementary teacher wrote in her diary just days before their self-inflicted death.
Over the past decade, 168 South Korean educators have taken their own lives—an awful statistic that underscores a growing crisis in the nation’s schools. From elementary classrooms to high school corridors, these tragedies reveal an uncomfortable trend, with students and their parents often involved.
In 2010, the Office of Education banned corporal punishment(체벌) to protect students’ rights—a reform with good intentions but unintended consequences. While the ban on corporal punishment intended to protect students, it revealed a deeper issue: a societal attitude that undervalues the teaching profession.
Often, many students feel emboldened to act rudely, knowing that the consequences—such as detention—are insignificant. While physical discipline should not be reinstated, the lack of effective alternatives led to a decline in classroom discipline. As a result, students increasingly disregard instructions, mock educators, and even engage in verbal or physical abuse. “These incidents have definitely become more frequent. Even among my friends, they swear behind teachers’ backs or bully them based on their names or personalities,” said Min-gi Shin from Dong Middle School.
As educators lose authority with impunity, classrooms become chaotic. Shin said, “When corporal punishment was abolished, students lost their fear and respect for instructors, creating a poor learning environment.” A lack of discipline, coupled with societal disregard for teachers, continues to fuel classroom disrespect.
Furthermore, societal attitudes like excessive parental interference and a lack of respect for educators, worsen the issue. According to South Korea’s Teachers’ Union Federation, 68.5% of teachers experienced infringements by students’ guardians.
As a result, many teachers feel unsupported and hesitant to enforce rules. “Teachers today face immense pressure from both parents and students, making it difficult to uphold discipline and focus on education,” said Hosun Kim, a former middle school dean in Korea. This lack of patronage not only discourages them to take necessary actions but also encourages students to defy their instructors’ authority.
In extreme cases, the stress of dealing with disrespectful students and oppressive parents takes a ruinous toll. A recent case in Daejeon saw an elementary teacher take the life of an 8-year-old student, reportedly driven by severe psychological distress and isolation. While this tragedy is an outlier, it highlights the immense pressure teachers face and the urgent need for systemic changes to protect educators’ well-being.
To restore classroom order and protect teachers’ welfare, Korea must implement systemic education reforms. One critical step is to reduce class sizes in public schools. With the steady decline of the student population, now is the ideal time to implement these changes. Private schools, with their smaller student-faculty ratios, create a structured environment where educators can give students more attention and impose discipline efficiently. Applying similar policies in public schools—either by hiring more teachers or redistributing resources—would help reestablish authority and improve classroom behavior.
The government must take a step to expand Korea’s subject-specific classroom system(교과 교실제), where teachers instruct in specialized classrooms instead of staying in a homeroom all day. This system, already used in international and American schools, strengthens instructional quality and eases the heavy administrative burden on teachers.
With the decreased student population and the Ministry of Education expanding the system, we see a brighter future where teachers can focus on their expertise rather than juggling multiple subjects and excessive administrative tasks. Through the distribution of administrative responsibilities to other staff, educators could focus on individual students, as well as classroom order. A specialized and respected teaching force could lead to healthier work environments and, ultimately, a decline in the profession’s burnout and self-harm.
In conclusion, restoring respect for teachers requires stronger disciplinary policies and a shift in societal attitudes. With Korea’s population decline, now is the time to make the necessary reforms in order to ease the burden on educators. Schools must reestablish classroom authority and ensure teachers have the support that they need to enforce discipline and focus on education. Only when the society collectively supports and appreciates the contributions of educators, classrooms can once again become spaces of growth and cooperation.
