[Reporter’s Notebook] Education Ministry’s Changing Words on 'Tuition Refund'

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] If university tuition fees need to be refunded, who makes that decision? Primarily, it would be the university, but if the government needs to intervene or adjust, which ministry would be responsible? Judging by the current situation, it does not seem to be the Ministry of Education. This policy is being controlled by the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and the National Assembly.

The discussion on tuition refunds began in earnest when Prime Minister Jeong Seyeon instructed the Ministry of Education to "review the plan." Until then, the Ministry of Education had a negative stance but changed its position with this single directive, stating, "We will review specific measures in line with the Prime Minister's intent."

Of course, the Ministry of Education was not completely inactive. It was considering relaxing the execution standards of the government's 'Innovation Support Project Fund' given to universities so that it could be used in the form of special scholarships. This was a kind of indirect tuition refund support. However, as part of the budget was cut in the third supplementary budget, the Ministry of Education reversed its position again. A Ministry of Education official said, "Considering the purpose and intent of the innovation project, it is difficult to use the Innovation Support Project Fund as special scholarships." Moreover, the Ministry of Education's request for a budget of 195.1 billion won under the name of 'COVID-19 University Emergency Support Fund' was not included in the supplementary budget, causing the Ministry to lose face once more.

Meanwhile, Konkuk University announced it would partially reduce tuition fees for the second semester, and with the Prime Minister's remarks and voices from the National Assembly following, the tuition refund discussion surfaced. The Ministry of Education, which failed to lead public opinion, can currently only wait for the National Assembly to include the supplementary budget as originally planned.

What if the Ministry of Education had more actively persuaded the Ministry of Economy and Finance? While some students attend school without worrying about tuition, many university students pay tuition through part-time jobs or loans. Considering their situation and preparing and enforcing measures is the role of the Ministry of Education, not the Ministry of Economy and Finance. According to the Korea Student Aid Foundation, student loan amounts reached 1.8 trillion won last year. There are only two Deputy Prime Ministers in South Korea. Since the 2014 reorganization, the Deputy Prime Ministers are appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister for Economy (Minister of Economy and Finance) and the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs (Minister of Education). It is now time for the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, who oversees non-economic fields, to show their presence.

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