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| Private cram school owners and employees hold a protest rally in Sejong against a temporary no-assembly order imposed on private educational institutions in the capital area, in this Dec. 11 photo. Yonhap |
By Bahk Eun-ji
An association representing private cram school owners said Sunday that it plans to take legal action against the government, claiming that their businesses have been forced to suspend operations over the last three weeks under stricter social distancing measures.
This is the second time they have sought compensation from the government this month. On Dec. 14, a number of cram school owners in the capital region, including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, filed a lawsuit against the government for forcing private institutes to close their doors amid Level 2.5 social distancing measures.
The association said they are seeking other private academy owners to join the class-action lawsuit, regardless of region, size of the institute and subjects they are teaching.
"Under the Level 2.5 social distancing, which the government imposed on Dec. 8, study centers and private cram schools were supposed to be allowed to operate until 9 p.m., but the government additionally ordered all of them in the capital area to close their doors," said Lee Sang-moo, president of the cram school association.
Over the last three weeks, the government issued the order to all private educational institutes ― except for those related to college preparations ― but they were only to be closed under the Level 3 social distancing scheme.
"Most private cram school owners had no choice but to halt their operations without sufficient preparation. We will no longer put up with such unfair policies," Lee said.
The association said it plans to take other action from Monday when the government's restriction ends.
"We are preparing a compensation suit for the three-week ban. If such restriction on cram schools continues after Monday, we will do everything we can, including collective action as well as the lawsuit," he said.
