Many rights are enshrined in the Constitution of Korea one of which is Free Speech yet because there is a National Security Law which allows the government to decree almost by fiat any cause, organization and right which in all its paranoia believes threatens its power to be illegal. Its the 21 century and Korea is a Republic, so why is the government attacking 15 union teachers for criticizing the government and willing to prosecute Kim Sang-gon, the 60-year-old top educator of Gyeonggi Province for his refusal to discipline them for exercising their Constitutional Right of Free Speech. One of the prosecutions main arguments is that teachers are role models for their students and thus they shouldn't have the right to speak out. Teachers are indeed role models for their students and when in their private time they feel compelled to point out the foibles of government which is a right given them they shouldn't remain silent. In speaking out as citizens and not as teachers they are being exemplary role models. Students need to understand these rights and know that when a miscarriage or abuse of their legal rights has taken place speaking in defense of these rights is an acceptable form of redress.
What the Public Prosecutor is doing isn't protecting the students but showing them that governments no matter their political ideology will subvert the rights of its citizens for questioning or criticizing policies they disagree with.
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