Decision seen as undermining constitutionally guaranteed voting rights
A middle school in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, drew criticism after scheduling a school-wide field trip to coincide with Wednesday's local elections — a national public holiday.
Critics said the decision undermined constitutionally guaranteed voting rights and reduced election day to little more than a day off.
Around 200 second-year students at the school set off Wednesday morning on a three-day, two-night trip to Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, while first- and third-year students, accompanied by teachers, departed separately by bus for Boseong and Namhae-gun in South Gyeongsang Province for overnight retreats.
The decision to send the entire student body on trips on election day prompted puzzlement in the local community over whether it was appropriate given the significance of the occasion.
A member of the South Jeolla Provincial Assembly's education committee said election day is "an opportunity for students to learn about the importance of voting, civic participation and democracy," adding that "the school appears to have overlooked that."
The school said it had failed to account for this year's local election date when planning last year's field trip schedule, but maintained the decision was unavoidable, noting that all staff had already cast their ballots through early voting.
An official at the Suncheon District Education Office, which oversees the school, said academic scheduling falls under the principal's authority but pledged to "provide guidance to ensure this does not happen again."
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