South Korea - On October 13, 2008, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Ministry (SMOE) targeted 6th graders and 9th graders to take the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) test. Before taking this test a few teachers from Seoul wrote letters to the students parents. The letter concerned the effect that the NAEP has on students and the educational system. It also explained that they have the option to choose to take the test or alternative work-study. On the day of the test, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Ministry (SMOE) expelled seven teachers who were apart of the Korean Teachers and Education Works Union (KTU). The reason was that these teachers' permitted the students to take alternative work-study instead of the test.