Minister Choi Gyojin Vows to Prioritize Conditions for Teachers to Focus on Teaching Children (Comprehensive)

"We Will Strengthen the State's Responsibility for Public Education"
Top Priorities: Full Implementation of the High School Credit System and Creating 10 Universities at the Level of Seoul National University

Choi Gyojin, the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, stated on the 12th, "My top priority will be to create conditions that allow teachers to focus on teaching and learning, and on saving the lives of children."

Minister Choi, who was appointed the previous day, made these remarks in response to a question from reporters about which policy he would review first as Minister of Education, after paying his respects at the Daejeon National Cemetery and arriving at the Ministry of Education office in Sejong for his first day of work.

Yonhap News Agency

Minister Choi said, "I believe that teaching by teachers and learning by students are the most important aspects of education," adding, "Teachers are the ones who are closest to helping children-the future generation-grow up healthy, safe, and happy, but they are currently very exhausted."

He continued, "Improving teachers' working conditions and other related measures must be prioritized so that all children can grow up dreaming of a world where they live healthily, happily, and together with others."

As the most urgent educational issues to address as Minister, Choi cited the full implementation of the high school credit system for first-year students this year, protecting students’ mental health, and balanced development of regional universities, represented by President Lee Jaemyung’s flagship education pledge to 'create 10 universities at the level of Seoul National University.'

He promised, "I will work diligently and sincerely, actively cooperating and discussing with the newly launched National Education Commission, as well as listening to the voices of university presidents, superintendents, and many from the field."

Minister Choi also emphasized the 'restoration of public education' during his inauguration ceremony.

Yonhap News Agency

Minister Choi said, "We will unite our efforts to strengthen the state’s responsibility for public education," and added, "We will support high-quality care and education from early childhood through elementary school, and work together with local communities to ensure that teaching and caregiving do not become a burden on families."

He also stated, "Rather than merely keeping up with technological changes, we will lead change and work to strengthen digital literacy and foundational artificial intelligence (AI) skills, so that advanced technologies can be used wisely. Along with the critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills demanded in the AI era, we will also expand humanities education to foster imagination."

Regarding higher education, he put forward 'balanced national development' through education.

Minister Choi said, "We will address the educational imbalance centered on the Seoul metropolitan area by preparing strategic investments and systematic development strategies at the level of Seoul National University," adding, "With the belief that education can drive balanced national development, I will focus on university structural reforms."

Minister Choi is a former middle school teacher who served as the head and senior vice-chairman of the Chungnam branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, and was the superintendent of education in Sejong City for 11 years starting in 2014. His background as a field teacher has earned him a reputation as an expert in primary and secondary education.

However, during the confirmation hearing process, controversies arose over his past drunk driving incident, remarks about former President Park Geunhye, political bias shown on social networking services (SNS), and allegations of plagiarism in his thesis, raising questions about his qualifications as the head of the Ministry of Education.

Regarding this, Minister Choi said, "The confirmation hearing process itself became a very valuable opportunity for me to reflect on my life so far," adding, "I have done a lot of self-reflection and also felt a lot of pain." He continued, "I will do my utmost so that concerns can turn into expectations."

Despite opposition from the opposition party the previous day, the confirmation report was passed under the leadership of the ruling party, and President Lee Jaemyung approved the appointment, allowing Minister Choi to begin his term 29 days after being nominated as a candidate.