A teacher in Gyeonggi Province says hate speech and politically charged remarks are increasingly appearing in everyday classroom language. Park, who has taught middle and high school students for six years, describes students using expressions tied to the 2009 death of former President Roh Moo-hyun, including in class discussions and assignments. Park says some students resort to such references despite not having lived through Roh’s presidency, which he argues limits their understanding of his policies or record.
The account reflects what teachers describe as a broader pattern in South Korean schools, where language linked to far-right rhetoric seen online is reported to be spreading among students. Teachers say they often do not know how to respond effectively.
In this context, a survey by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers’ Union, released Tuesday, finds that 89.3% of 1,109 elementary, middle and high school teachers nationwide have witnessed or heard about students using hate speech, discriminatory language, historical distortions, or anti-democratic expressions. The reports point to growing concern among educators about how student speech is being shaped by wider political and online influences.
