"These days it seems like every decision made by the Ministry of Education is designed to increase the demand for more hogwan education in Korea. I unequivocally denounce Mr. Roh's plan to enjoy an evening on the town with his wife, and possibly attend a concert," Teacher's union spokesperson Hwang Dong-jun said at a press conference this afternoon. "I know the Korean Teacher's Union stands behind me as I say that Mr. Roh should cancel his plan, in order to return the responsibility for educating Korea's youth to the hands of those employed by the government to do it."
Ministry media liaison Park Su-young responded to Mr. Hwang's accusations. "Surely, the teacher's union is blowing things out of proportion here; it is only one evening of enjoyment which, hopefully, you can agree the Minister has earned, after Mr. Hwang here threatening to strike three times a day."
To this, Mr. Hwang replied, "These ad hominem attacks are simply misdirections aimed at hiding the fact Hogwan owning lobbyists have been lining the pockets of Mr. Roh for years now, and he has no intention of truly reforming Korean education, as long as he grows fat off the bribes paid by those who exploit Korean parents and children. Think about the children!"
Jung Mi-young, a mother of three school-age children, complained, "The burden to send my kids to hogwans for this and that is crippling -- I can't travel, can't save for retirement -- if the Minister isn't doing anything to ease my hogwan fees and the competition between mothers to get their kids into SNU, then I hardly think it's fair for him to enjoy a leisurely night out, especially while I'm working three jobs to send my kids to hogwans! I clean houses, I organize files at a local business, and I hrmm ahhemmm hhrommm for cash --sorry. Had to clear my throat there. I strongly oppose Mr. Roh's plan."
Minister Roh had intended to eat out with his wife at a new Italian Restaurant near Samchungdong, and then possibly attend an art show, or see a string quartet performing at the Sejong Art Center, and maybe finish off with a bottle of wine in a quiet wine bar nearby, before a note came to his desk with an urgent threat to strike by Mr. Hwang and the KTU, if he followed through on his evening plan. "It's been a stressful year so far, and I though I'd earned a night out," he said; "even my hairpiece is losing hair now from all the pressure, and I haven't seen my wife for almost a month."
However, in a public position like the Education Ministry, every move comes under scrutiny, and sometimes, as Mr. Roh is learning, a normal life might just be impossible.
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3 comments:
You should go to the KTEWU website --- eduhope.net --- and steal a picture of the drones picketing something and juxtapose it with a restaurant. Oooh, you should get that picture of him trying to drive through the crowd to get to the school. Then be like "he's going to the restaurant."
the last word verification was "letypolo," and this one is "stalised." I think I've seen both those names on the European rock charts.
How's that, big B?
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