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Eight months after suicide, Jeju teacher's death ruled as occupational accident

Published: 27 Jan. 2026, 09:52 Updated: 27 Jan. 2026, 19:00

Family and colleagues of Hyun, a teacher in his 40s who died in May 2025, hold a press conference in Jeju on Dec. 8, 2025. [YONHAP]

A middle school teacher in Jeju was officially recognized as having died in the line of duty eight months after taking his own life following prolonged conflicts with a student’s family, malicious complaints and excessive workloads.

The Teachers' Pension convened a review meeting on Monday and concluded that the death of Hyun, the late teacher in his 40s who died last May, constituted an occupational accident and qualifies as a death in the line of duty.

Hyun was found dead in May last year on the grounds of the school where he worked. In a note left by Hyun, he explained that he was struggling due to conflicts with a student’s family. The decision is seen as an acknowledgment that the death stemmed not from personal reasons but from working conditions and the absence of protective systems for teachers.

“A teacher died because the school failed to properly respond to complaints, so recognizing it as a death in the line of duty is only natural,” education groups said in a joint statement. “Now that duty-related death has been confirmed, the Jeju Provincial Office of Education must immediately fulfill its promise to support the bereaved family.”

However, disputes over responsibility surrounding the investigation are expected to continue. On Jan. 16, the bereaved family and teachers’ unions filed a petition with the Board of Audit and Inspection requesting a public audit of the Jeju education office. The board has not yet announced whether it will proceed with the audit.

The family has raised concerns about the integrity of the investigation, claiming that a fabricated incident report was submitted to the National Assembly by the school without key evidence, including recorded phone calls capturing Hyun’s distress.

“They defended school administrators who forged official documents, denied my sick spouse medical leave and failed to activate a complaint response team, saying there was no intent behind their actions,” said Hyun’s spouse.

Despite confirming the school’s failure to handle complaints properly and its restrictions on medical leave, the education office’s investigation team recommended only minor disciplinary measures for those responsible, drawing criticism for what has been perceived as "shielding its own."

If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling, contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KO SEUNG-PYO [[email protected]]