A recent surge in reports of assaults on teachers and the suicide of an elementary school teacher have sparked a nationwide debate over teachers' rights and child discipline in South Korea.
Some critics are blaming renowned child psychiatrist Oh Eun-young, whose popular television program, "My Golden Kids," promotes a "no punishment" approach to raising children.
An anonymous individual posted a message Thursday on Blind, an anonymous online community, saying that "Oh appears to have negatively affected numerous children and parents."
The post read, "Oh portrays children as entities deserving of sympathy and respect without harm. She spoils children, consistently emphasizing the importance of avoiding physical punishment and expressing empathy towards them. However, physical discipline can sometimes be necessary. Parents may need to reprimand or administer physical punishment when required."
The post has since garnered considerable attention.
Some internet users concurred with the anonymous post, stating, "I believe discipline without physical punishment is only feasible when parents are childcare experts, like Oh."
Conversely, numerous comments supported Oh. "Why are you criticizing Oh?" one user asked. "Oh's guidance was to respect children but also to be consistent and firm in discipline."
Dr. Seo Cheon-seok, a child psychiatrist, wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday night that Oh’s show is problematic because it "creates the illusion that problematic children can change quickly.”
“The problem with programs such as ‘My Golden Kids’ is that they make us think that we can solve serious problems (with our children) in a month or two, including through the counseling sessions ... offered on the show,” he wrote.
"My Golden Kids" is a customized parenting solution show in which Oh offers help and counseling to parents seeking her expertise on parenting.
Seo stressed that teachers who cannot easily solve students' problems are likely to be considered incompetent due to those programs.
“Stronger solutions are needed to protect teachers’ rights. For difficult situations in the classroom caused by (problematic) children, systems should be put in place (to help teachers) handle them, including assigning a one-to-one dedicated therapist.”
