Far-right group's ties to South Korea's after-school program sparks outrage
Instructors allegedly rewarded for online attacks on liberals, praise for conservatives
A far-right educational group's involvement in South Korea's government-led after-school program for elementary students has triggered controversy, with parents voicing alarm over the infiltration of ideological bias into classrooms.
The controversy started with a local investigative news outlet reporting that a far-right organization called Rhee Park School — known for glorifying former authoritarian presidents Syngman Rhee and Park Chung-hee — has not only conducted online manipulation campaigns under a team named "Jasongun" but also dispatched instructors to Neulbom schools, a state-run extended-day elementary education program. Jasongun is the abbreviation of a Korean phrase meaning "freedom finger army to save the nation' (direct translation).
The report alleged that Rhee Park School trained and dispatched instructors to Neulbom schools in Seoul using an internally issued instructor certificate. These instructors were said to be selected in return for participating in online smear campaigns targeting liberal politicians, including presidential candidates Lee Jae-myung and Lee Jun-seok, while promoting right-wing figures such as Kim Moon-soo of the ruling People Power Party.
Outrage has mounted among parents, especially after it was revealed that the institution had secured a partnership with the Korea Association for Neulbom Education and Seoul National University of Education. According to the Education Ministry, the agreement allowed the group to supply instructors for science and art-based Neulbom programs at 10 elementary schools in the capital.
The Education Ministry announced a full investigation into any links between the far-right institution and the national Neulbom system.
'Given the public reaction and severity of the issue, we have instructed the immediate suspension of related programs and the cancellation of the agreement with the organization,' said the SNUE Neulbom Education Support Center.
Rhee Park School was founded in 2017 by Son Hyo-sook, a retired civil servant with no prior educational credentials. Son's recent appointment as an education policy adviser to the Education Minister has drawn further scrutiny, with critics questioning how she gained a high-level policy advisory role without a professional background in education.
The controversy has renewed criticism of the Neulbom system, a key education policy initiative of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. Initially branded as an 'all-day elementary school,' the program aims to merge after-school classes and care services under state responsibility.
The Education Ministry said Monday it has launched a full-scale investigation into the matter and dismissed the head of the far-right group from her role as a policy adviser the day prior.
'Given the sensitivity of the allegations, she was dismissed immediately,' ministry spokesperson Koo Yeon-hee stated during a press briefing. 'Son did not play a prominent role on the committee and only attended a recent workshop.'
Koo explained that the committee consists of 124 advisers from various ideological backgrounds and functions in a consultative capacity. 'Since it is a purely advisory body, we did not screen appointees for political neutrality at the time of selection,' she said.
Although Son's term was originally set to end on June 12, Koo added that the ministry would consider reviewing the status of other advisers. 'We will ask the relevant departments to look into whether there are any issues with other committee members and whether further investigation is possible,' she said.
While the Education Ministry stated that private certifications like the one issued by Rhee Park School do not guarantee employment in schools, and that hiring decisions are made independently by each institution, it acknowledged the need for a system-wide review. The ministry pledged to audit all currently operating Neulbom programs to assess any connection to the institution.
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