Legal Action on Collectively Taking Leave

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources announced its decision to impose strict measures including legal action for those who will participate in the Korea Teachers and Education Workers Union`s demonstration on June 21 to stop the implementation of NEIS, or the National Education Information System. The Ministry will also apply the same strict measures on teachers participating the strikes organized by the Korea Confederation of Trade Unions on June 25.

"If the teachers collectively take one-day off to participate in protests or if they leave school early to support other labor union activities, it will be considered a labor strike. Thus, this is a clear violation of union laws said the Education Ministry. The Ministry made it clear that it will strictly deal with illegal union activities based on laws and general principles.

The Ministry said that the Korean Teacher and Education Worker`s Union told its members to ask for one-day off to participate in the demonstration this Saturday. The heads of the union branch at each school were told to submit their members` requests collectively to their schools.

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources sent letters to 16 municipal and provincial educational offices and schools across the nation telling them not to permit any teacher to participate in the protests.

The government decided to take legal action against those who lead and actively participate in the teachers` protest at a meeting to deal with pending issues in the nation, as organized by Prime Minister Ko Gun on Wednesday.

The government also urged law enforcement authorities to collect all related information on the matter. An official with the Education Ministry said that those who participate in the protest will be subject to warnings, reprimands, and reduction of wages. The degree of punishment will be decided at a meeting of heads of municipal and provincial offices, the official said.

In-Chul Lee inchul@donga.com