Conservative teachers launch new union

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- A group of right-wing teachers launched a new education union on Wednesday, expressing support for President Lee Myung-bak's market-oriented reforms while criticizing the current educational movement as left-leaning.

The Korean Teachers Union has only about 1,000 members, but will operate in
affiliation with the conservative non-governmental New Right Union, organizers
said.
"Education is the future of the country and a true cradle holding values of
liberal democracy," the union said in an inaugural declaration.
"We will make all efforts to restore hope in education, which has collapsed amid
the specter of ideology, and promise a new beginning for education and the
educational workers' movement," it said, explicitly referring to its progressive
rival, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union.
The progressive teachers' union has been an outspoken opponent of Lee's
competition-driven education policies, which include an increase in special
institutions for talented children and early English education.
The formation of the right-wing teachers' union brings the number of such bodies
to four in Korea. A power struggle among the organizations has held joint
negotiations on working conditions with the education ministry in limbo for
years.