If you have ever hesitated over whether it is fine to contact your child's homeroom teacher directly with a question or complaint, from October 29, 2026 the law itself answers that. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act gains a new section on handling school complaints (Articles 35 to 37). It writes into statute what counts as a school complaint, the complaint team that receives it, what people who file complaints must not do, and the principal's duty to ask a person to leave. This guide is based on the in-force text on the National Law Information Center (Act No. 21580, promulgated April 28, 2026), checked on October 18, 2026.

The effective date is October 29, but the ban on trading school records is already in force

Article 1 of the Addenda says the Act takes effect six months after promulgation, which is October 29. The exception is Article 25-2, which bans buying, selling or using school records for business purposes, and Article 67, the penalty clause. Those took effect three months after promulgation, on July 29. A violation carries up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to 50 million won. Trading school records is already punishable, and the complaint provisions switch on October 29.

A school complaint covers four kinds of requests

Article 35(1) defines a school complaint as any of the following requests that students or guardians make to a school.

• A request related to emotional and behavioral support for a student under Article 18-5
• A request related to student guidance under Article 20-2
• A request related to educational activities as defined in the Act on the Prevention of and Compensation for School Safety Accidents
• Any other request related to school operations

In practice, almost any request made to a school falls inside. The emotional and behavioral support item is easier to follow alongside how to request integrated student support.

People who file complaints are told what they must not do

Article 35(2) says anyone filing a school complaint must observe Article 12(3) and Article 13(3) of the Framework Act on Education. It also states that they must not commit acts that infringe on educational activities under Article 19 of the Teachers' Status Act, or obstruct staff in their work under Article 314 of the Criminal Act. This does not stop legitimate questions and objections. It draws a line around the manner of making a demand, and repeating the same demand or using abusive language is the typical problem. Where exactly the line falls follows those statutes and the decisions of the teacher rights protection committee.

If there is a risk, the principal must ask the person to leave

Under Article 35(3), when a principal finds a risk that a person may commit such infringement or obstruction during a complaint, the principal must take necessary measures, including a request to leave, following the procedure set by Presidential Decree. The wording is "must", not "may". The details are left to the enforcement decree, and the version of the Enforcement Decree of the Act that I checked did not yet contain any school complaint provisions. Once the decree is revised, the standard and method for a request to leave will become clearer.

A complaint team receives complaints, and the education office steps in when needed

Article 37(1) says each school sets up a complaint response team, and the competent authority sets up a body such as a school complaint response support team. If a school cannot handle a complaint, under paragraph (3) the principal may ask the authority for support or to handle it directly. Under paragraph (4) the superintendent sets the detailed procedure and method, so guidance may differ between city and provincial education offices even though the law is the same. Check the guidelines of the office your child's school belongs to. How the desk and appointment-based consultations work in practice is covered separately in our guide to refused complaints sent to a teacher's personal phone and the official channels.

Schools must explain the process regularly

Article 36(3) requires the principal to regularly explain the method and procedure for handling school complaints to students and guardians. This provision used to sit in Article 30-10 and moves to Article 36 on October 29, so if you saw Article 30-10 in older material, only the number has changed. The Minister of Education must draw up a plan covering methods and procedures, an electronic information system, and administrative and financial support, and each superintendent must draw up a support plan that includes protection for the staff who handle complaints.

Parent support centers also get a legal basis

The same amendment adds Article 18-8, under which the Minister of Education may set up or designate a national parent support center, and each superintendent a regional one, and entrust work to them. The national center provides information to build guardians' capacity, supports their understanding of and communication about education policy, and supports cooperation with regional centers. Centers already in operation are treated under Article 2 of the Addenda as set up or designated under the new article. What services the centers will offer depends on the enforcement decree and each education office's notices.

What parents should check, in order

• Look in newsletters and on the school website for the complaint desk, its hours and the handling procedure.
• If there is no notice, call the school's main number and ask how the complaint team takes complaints.
• For school news and your child's school life, use NEIS Parent Service and School Info first.
• School violence has its own separate procedure, so check what happens after a report separately.
• Writing down the basis for your request and the action you want, with dates, speeds up intake and handling.

This article summarizes the text of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Act No. 21580) on the National Law Information Center as general information and does not replace legal advice. The detailed procedure for a request to leave and each province's complaint handling may change with the enforcement decree and the superintendent's guidelines, so confirm with your child's school and the education office. Sources: National Law Information Center, Elementary and Secondary Education Act Articles 18-8, 25-2, 35 to 37 and 67 and the Addenda (checked October 18, 2026).