Seoul teacher to return to school after whistleblower dismissal dispute

Teacher Ji Hye-bok, who was dismissed after reporting sexual violence within a school, is set to return to her original middle school on January 9 following a two-and-a-half-year legal and social struggle. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has reached an agreement with Ji and a joint committee to resolve the dispute.

Under the agreement, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will provide full back pay, including unpaid wages and step increases, to Ji. Seoul Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik issued a formal apology to the teacher and the affected students. To prevent future occurrences, the Office of Education will launch an investigation, comparable to an audit, into the handling of the original sexual violence case and the subsequent retaliatory personnel actions.

The Office of Education also pledged systemic reforms to protect whistleblowers. Starting in 2027, new policies will prevent involuntary transfers of individuals suspected of being public interest whistleblowers before their status is officially confirmed. Additionally, the office plans to reform the teacher transfer system and strengthen school response mechanisms for sexual violence, including enhanced support for victims and secondary trauma prevention.