Prime Minister Jeong: "Our society is reorganizing into an 'Ontact' society... Urgent task is to establish non-face-to-face infrastructure for education and culture"

"Rapid Transition to a Digital Society Needed"

Prime Minister Jeong Sye-kyun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwangho Lee] Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said on the 28th, "The best strategy to find direction amid the flow of change is a 'rapid transition to a digital society.'"

On the same day, at the 5th Thursday Dialogue held at Samcheongdang, the Prime Minister's official residence in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Prime Minister Chung stated, "Our society is already being reorganized beyond un-tact (meaning non-face-to-face) to an on-tact society, which means online connection."

Prime Minister Chung emphasized, "It is urgent to establish a non-face-to-face digital remote education system through bold institutional innovation and regulatory reform in education and culture, and to create infrastructure for non-face-to-face cultural and leisure activities."

He added, "To prepare for the side effects of the digital society such as individual social isolation, community disintegration, socio-economic inequality caused by the digital divide, and cybercrime, we must expand social safety nets and create a safe digital environment," and stressed, "We must not forget that humanism remains the most important value even in a digital on-tact society."

The 5th Thursday Dialogue was organized as an opportunity to exchange opinions with experts in social, cultural, and educational fields.

On the afternoon of the 28th in Seoul, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun held the 5th Thursday Dialogue with experts in social, cultural, and educational fields at Samcheongdang (Prime Minister's official residence in Seoul).

The first presentation was given by Professor Yoo Hyun-jun of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies at Hongik University, under the theme "Post-Corona Spaces."

Professor Yoo said, "Historically, epidemics and urban changes have had a close relationship," and predicted, "After the outbreak of COVID-19, as un-tact and telecommuting culture spread, the utilization of existing offline facilities such as schools, religious facilities, and commercial buildings has decreased, creating vacant spaces. There will be changes such as increased demand for residential spaces with outdoor parks or terraces instead of indoor spaces or traditional apartments." Accordingly, he argued, "There is a need to consider the reorganization of urban spaces and related legal and institutional improvements."

Following this, Professor Kim Nu-ri, majoring in German Literature at Chung-Ang University, delivered a presentation titled "Korea's New 100 Years, with New Education (From Meritocracy to Dignocracy)," stating, "The reality of Korean education, characterized by competition-oriented and rote learning, weakens students' individuality and self-identity, leading to a life where frustration becomes commonplace."

He proposed, "With social consensus on new education triggered by COVID-19 and the 4th Industrial Revolution, we should shift the educational paradigm from competition-centered meritocracy to dignocracy, which fosters solidarity, empathy, and creativity," and suggested abolishing university entrance exams, university rankings, university tuition fees, and privileged schools as measures.

At the Thursday Dialogue, Cho Hyun-gu, CEO of Classting, which provides an online learning management system, and Kim Cheong-hae, a science teacher at Changdeok Girls' Middle School in Seoul who conducts EBS live special lectures and online classes, attended to share the current status and challenges of online classes in schools.

Meanwhile, the Thursday Dialogue is broadcast live from the beginning to the presentations via the Prime Minister's Office Facebook and KTV, and is also aired as a recorded broadcast on KTV.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.