Unification minister asks elementary school principals to join peace education panel

Minister of Unification Jeong Dong-young has asked elementary school principals across the country to join a government panel promoting peace, unification and democratic citizenship education.

Jeong delivered the request through a congratulatory address — read on his behalf by Lee Je-hun, president of the National Institute for Peace, Unification and Democratic Education — at the Korean Elementary School Principals Association's annual training conference and national convention, held Wednesday at the Suwon Sports Complex indoor gymnasium. "Your participation will add depth to peace, unification and democratic citizenship education and carry a greater resonance of peace into the hearts of the children who are growing up," he said.

Jeong said the Ministry of Unification commissioned more than 4,000 teachers from schools at home and abroad as peace-unification-democratic education commissioners in June, and plans to appoint an additional 6,000 education professionals.

"If some 10,000 peace-unification-democratic education commissioners become peace partners to about 5 million elementary, middle and high school students for at least one hour a year, the values of peace, unification and democratic citizenship will be able to take root in the hearts of the next generation," he said.

Peace-unification-democratic education commissioners carry out unification-related educational activities in schools and local communities to help build a foundation for peaceful unification. The minister of unification appoints teachers and other school staff at the elementary, middle and high school levels to the unpaid, honorary positions, which carry a two-year term.