"The grace of a teacher is like the sky, the more I look up, the higher it seems. The true teacher who teaches us to be righteous is like a parent in our hearts. Oh, thank you for the love of a teacher, oh, I will repay the grace of a teacher."
This song, traditionally sung on Teacher's Day, has become increasingly rare to hear. Small classroom celebrations have also come under scrutiny.
The Gyeongsangbuk-do Office of Education announced through an internal bulletin that under the Anti-Corruption Act, teachers, students, and parents are considered "direct stakeholders." They advised against giving or sharing cakes with teachers on Teacher's Day.
"While making Teacher's Day cards, the children were asking, 'Can we give a gift to the teacher, or not?' I overheard some students saying, 'Even giving a carnation or a drink could get the teacher in trouble,'" said Yoon Mi-sook, a sixth-grade teacher at S Elementary School in Busan, expressing her disappointment.
"The children likely had no ill intentions, but I felt a sense of shame in a classroom where it has become normal to discuss that 'even a drink could get the teacher in trouble' before Teacher's Day," she reflected.
She questioned, "Is this situation really normal?"
On a day meant to honor teachers, they now find themselves weighing the legal risks of accepting a piece of cake or a single carnation from students.
This situation is particularly ironic in South Korea, where the term "teacher" has historically symbolized respect and moral authority. In Confucian culture, teachers are seen not just as knowledge bearers but as figures who impart character and order, and the tradition of singing "The Grace of a Teacher" and writing thank-you letters continues in schools today.
Teacher's Day originated in 1958 when members of the Youth Red Cross visited sick teachers. The date was established as May 15, the birthday of King Sejong, in 1965, becoming a national holiday. However, with declining teacher authority, malicious complaints, and various legal burdens, many teachers now express that "the day has become just a name."
Pride in the teaching profession has long been in decline.
According to a survey released by the Teacher Labor Union Federation on May 14, more than half of teachers have considered resigning in the past year. Only about 5% of teachers feel respected by society, and only about 30% report feeling fulfilled in their teaching careers.
Feelings of helplessness regarding violations of teacher rights and a breakdown of trust are also evident. A survey conducted by the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) ahead of the 45th Teacher's Day, involving 8,900 teachers from various educational levels, revealed that 49.2% of respondents felt their professional pride had decreased in the past one to two years. The most significant moment of helplessness for teachers was identified as "when they are not trusted by students and parents and when their rights are violated" (67.9%).
The atmosphere in local schools mirrors these sentiments. A recent survey by the Busan Teacher Labor Union, which included 7,180 teachers nationwide (383 from Busan), found that 69.2% of Busan teachers would not choose the teaching profession if they could start over. Additionally, 80.9% expressed concern about being reported for child abuse even during legitimate educational activities, and 85.1% felt that the emotional abuse clause in child abuse laws stifles educational activities.
Teachers report that the school environment is increasingly becoming a "defensive classroom culture." There are also concerns that the rise of AI and smartphones is altering teachers' authority.
Yoon noted, "What used to be part of student guidance is now approached with manuals and the possibility of complaints in mind. Many teachers record counseling sessions to prepare for any potential complaints or reports."
She added, "I try to maintain a certain distance from students, using formal language during class and teaching them not to approach too casually," reflecting a fear that familiarity could lead to misunderstandings or disputes.
A teacher named Baek from an elementary school in Gangnam remarked, "Teachers are no longer seen as the ones who know all the answers. The authority of teachers is changing in the digital environment."
In recent years, South Korea has seen repeated incidents of teacher deaths and controversies over violations of teacher rights. Following the death of a teacher at Seoi Elementary School in 2023, thousands of teachers gathered in Yeouido, Seoul, demanding protection for teacher rights, yet many teachers feel that "nothing has practically changed."
Violence against teachers is no longer considered rare. Last month, a student attacked a teacher with a weapon in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province. A survey conducted by the Teacher Labor Union Federation among 7,307 teachers revealed that 67% had experienced physical threats from students, and 32% had been physically assaulted.
Experts analyze that while South Korean society still speaks of a Confucian culture of "respect for teachers," the necessary trust and discretion for teachers are not adequately supported in practice. They continue to demand guidance and emotional support for students while the authority and protection needed to uphold these responsibilities have weakened.
The status of the teaching profession, once a symbol of stability and social respect, is also in decline. The decrease in the school-age population, combined with the burden of complaints and legal risks, has led to a decline in the attractiveness of teaching as a career. According to the admissions industry, the cutoff scores for major teacher training colleges for the 2025 academic year have dropped compared to the previous year. The cutoff scores for five teacher training colleges, including Seoul National University of Education, Chuncheon National University of Education, Korea National University of Education, Gwangju National University of Education, and Cheongju National University of Education, fell from 3.22 to 3.61.
The gender imbalance in elementary education continues. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, among the 210 final successful candidates for the 2026 public elementary school teacher appointment exam, only 30 were male, accounting for 14.3%. Among the total of 295 successful candidates for kindergarten, elementary, and special education schools, only 32 were male (10.9%). Among the 48 successful kindergarten teachers, only one was male, and all seven successful special education kindergarten teachers were female.
In this context of gender imbalance, male teachers report feeling overwhelmed by their workloads.
A male teacher in his 30s from Daejeon, named Yeon, said, "With so few male teachers, physically demanding tasks or difficult situations often fall to the few male teachers. It's not easy to express that I'm struggling in this atmosphere."
Teachers emphasize that what is needed in the educational field is not just laws and systems, but trust and a sense of community.
"What teachers desire is not the authority of the past, where we wouldn't dare step on the shadow of a teacher."
Yoon stated, "Just as my child is precious, so is every other child. We need a basic consideration and sense of community that prevents harm to others as we protect our own children."
She added, "Consideration and compromise are not losses; they are opportunities to expand a child's capacity for empathy. Education cannot be completed solely through laws and systems. When respect and consideration fill the gaps, both teachers and students, as well as parents, can feel more at ease."
As another Teacher's Day approaches, what teachers hope for is not grand respect or songs of gratitude, but a classroom where they can teach without fear.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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