Overprotective Parents Drive South Korean Teachers to Despair
A survey found that over half of teachers in South Korea experienced malicious parent complaints in the latter half of 2025, leading schools to curb activities like field trips and sports to avoid potential backlash. This climate of fear, exacerbated by parents’ anxiety over the nation’s hyper-competitive society, results in a reluctance to acknowledge student achievements publicly and a tendency to avoid competition altogether. Despite legislative efforts, teachers continue to face challenges with frivolous complaints and a lack of clear protective measures, leaving them to shoulder the burden of these disputes.
John Q. Hosedrinker