Field trips like school excursions and training camps are decreasing across South Korea, with a notable gap between regions. The national average implementation rate dropped to its lowest in three years, largely due to safety concerns and administrative burdens on teachers.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for countermeasures as field trips and experiential learning rapidly decline in schools, but teachers' groups are pushing back against blame placed on educators. The Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations and Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union say the real issue is legal liability — specifically a 2022 student death during a field trip in Chuncheon where the homeroom teacher was indicted and found guilty of professional negligence. Data shows only 51% of Seoul elementary schools conducted one-day field programs last year versus 99% in 2023, while overnight programs dropped from 42% to 17%. Teachers demand legal protection to organize experiential learning without fear of criminal punishment.
