By Bahk Eun-ji
Seoul's education authorities have issued warnings to a number of private Christian and mission schools in the capital for including worship services and religious events during regular school hours, in violation of the principle of freedom of religion.
An audit by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) found that several Christian private schools in the capital provided religious classes last year.
In the audit, a high school identified only by the initial "A," which is said to have adopted Christianity as its educational ideology, was found to have included a worship class in its regular curriculum for all students from 2019 to 2020.
In addition to the regular worship service, special devotional events were also held, such as a Thanksgiving service and a commemorative service for the opening of the school, and Bible lessons were also offered to all students every morning during the period.
The high school was also found to have organized religion-related competitions twice during regular class hours from 2018 to 2019.
The warnings came as the Seoul education office believed that forcing students to attend such religious activities violates their religious freedom.
Classes should be conducted based on objectivity without bias toward specific cultures or ideologies, including religion.
The SMOE requested the high school not to force its students to undergo specific religious education and weekly worship hours during regular school hours.
A Christian high school, identified only as "B," also received an institutional warning for organizing an hour of worship time every week and prayer time every morning, from 2018 to 2021.
It was also pointed out that the school rented a specific church auditorium for all students twice a year to hold spring and autumn revival services.
In the process of the revival services, the school voluntarily received donations from all students and teachers it said were to be put toward helping the underprivileged.
However, the SMOE pointed out that although the school went through an internal approval process for the use of the donated money, it is illegal to collect such donations in schools, rather than in religious facilities.
"In addition, spending the offertories on events related to specific religious activities was also inappropriate," an SMOE official said.
This is not the first time that worship services and religious education offered by some private schools stirred up controversy in Korea.
In 2004, the student body president of a private Christian school in Seoul refused to attend the school's worship service, and fasted for 46 days demanding religious freedom in school.
The case led to a court battle, and in 2010 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the student, saying that religious freedom should be recognized in mission schools.
Seoul's education authorities have issued warnings to a number of private Christian and mission schools in the capital for including worship services and religious events during regular school hours, in violation of the principle of freedom of religion.
An audit by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (SMOE) found that several Christian private schools in the capital provided religious classes last year.
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| Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education /Korea Times file |
In addition to the regular worship service, special devotional events were also held, such as a Thanksgiving service and a commemorative service for the opening of the school, and Bible lessons were also offered to all students every morning during the period.
The high school was also found to have organized religion-related competitions twice during regular class hours from 2018 to 2019.
The warnings came as the Seoul education office believed that forcing students to attend such religious activities violates their religious freedom.
Classes should be conducted based on objectivity without bias toward specific cultures or ideologies, including religion.
The SMOE requested the high school not to force its students to undergo specific religious education and weekly worship hours during regular school hours.
A Christian high school, identified only as "B," also received an institutional warning for organizing an hour of worship time every week and prayer time every morning, from 2018 to 2021.
It was also pointed out that the school rented a specific church auditorium for all students twice a year to hold spring and autumn revival services.
In the process of the revival services, the school voluntarily received donations from all students and teachers it said were to be put toward helping the underprivileged.
However, the SMOE pointed out that although the school went through an internal approval process for the use of the donated money, it is illegal to collect such donations in schools, rather than in religious facilities.
"In addition, spending the offertories on events related to specific religious activities was also inappropriate," an SMOE official said.
This is not the first time that worship services and religious education offered by some private schools stirred up controversy in Korea.
In 2004, the student body president of a private Christian school in Seoul refused to attend the school's worship service, and fasted for 46 days demanding religious freedom in school.
The case led to a court battle, and in 2010 the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the student, saying that religious freedom should be recognized in mission schools.
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