Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye: "The Cho Min case is a rare instance where the prosecution's investigation took place first"

"No Legal Interpretation or Investigation Requests to Korea University and Hanyoung Foreign Language High School"
Preparing to Expand Flexible Attendance for Middle School Students in the Seoul Metropolitan Area After Social Distancing Revision
Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination for 12th Graders and Teachers Before Summer Vacation

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye is speaking at a press corps meeting held at the Government Sejong Complex on the 29th.

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Regarding the criticism that the Ministry of Education's response to the admission fraud involving Cho Min, daughter of former Minister of Justice Cho Kuk, has been lukewarm, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye stated, "The Ministry of Education requests schools to cancel admissions if fraud is confirmed through audits or reports and action is necessary, but in Cho's case, it was a unique situation where the prosecution started an investigation before the facts were confirmed."

At a meeting with the Ministry of Education press corps held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 29th, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "We will observe whether Pusan National University conducts the investigation properly and then determine our role," adding, "It is appropriate for the Ministry of Education to exercise its supervisory authority by requesting fact verification from schools and taking necessary measures."

Cho was admitted to Pusan National University Graduate School of Medicine in 2015 through early admission, and the admission guidelines at the time stated that if it was found that admission was obtained through fraudulent means, admission would be canceled and academic records erased even after graduation. Recently, Pusan National University submitted a plan to the Ministry of Education to form a Fair Management Committee and conduct an internal investigation related to fraudulent admission.

The Ministry of Education did not request a separate legal interpretation regarding the cancellation of admission for Han Young Foreign Language High School or Korea University, where Cho also attended. Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "Han Young Foreign Language High School is under the supervision of the education office, and although we did not conduct a legal review regarding Korea University’s admission cancellation, we did send an official letter requesting submission of materials and a response to the National Assembly."

Regarding the investigation and schedule at Pusan National University, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "It may take at least 3 to 4 months, but since Pusan National University understands the seriousness of the matter, I believe they will proceed with the necessary procedures promptly," emphasizing again, "There are no 'exceptions' when it comes to admission fraud or securing fairness."

"Expanding Priority In-Person Attendance for Metropolitan Area Middle School Students"

On the 29th, a meeting was held between Deputy Prime Minister Yoo Eun-hye and the Ministry of Education press corps at the Government Complex Sejong.

The Ministry of Education plans to prepare measures to expand in-person attendance for middle school students in the metropolitan area once the social distancing reorganization plan is applied. From the new semester, first and second graders in elementary school were exempted from school density criteria, and third-year high school students have maintained a policy of attending school every day, but middle school students were not included in any category.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "Since the number of school attendance days in the metropolitan area is lower than in non-metropolitan areas, we are consulting with city and provincial education offices to expand school attendance in the metropolitan area. Once the social distancing reorganization plan is applied, a flexible expansion plan for metropolitan area attendance will be implemented," emphasizing, "We will prioritize expanding attendance for middle school students in the metropolitan area, who have relatively fewer school days."

There is a plan to expedite vaccination timing for teachers and students in first and second grades of elementary school and third-year high school students who attend school every day, aiming to complete it before summer vacation. Regarding this, Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "We need to comprehensively consider overall vaccine supply volume, timing, and priorities, but we are negotiating to advance the schedule. To ensure smooth academic operations and college entrance exams, vaccinations should be completed by summer vacation, and we are discussing the timing and method of vaccination for third-year high school students."

Vaccinations for health and special education teachers will begin on April 8. Vaccinations will be administered at public health centers for school staff who submitted consent forms by the 25th of last month. Paid leave is allowed on the day of vaccination, and sick leave will be granted if leave is requested the day after due to immune response. Measures will also be established to stagger vaccination schedules for health and special education teachers to minimize academic and work disruptions.

Comprehensive Measures for Regional Universities to be Announced at the End of April... Outline of College Entrance Exam Reform to be Revealed in the Second Half of the Year

The Ministry of Education plans to announce measures necessary to resolve the crisis faced by regional universities, which experienced a large number of unfilled spots during the 2021 academic year admissions, by the end of next month.

Deputy Prime Minister Yoo said, "We are preparing to announce phased and mid-to-long-term measures regarding higher education financial issues and regional university enrollment rates in April and September," adding, "The crisis of regional universities is linked to the declining school-age population and regional development, and it is necessary to comprehensively prepare how universities will connect the demand for education needed in the region, including school-age students, vocational retraining, and lifelong education."

The revision of the '2022 Curriculum,' which reflects the high school credit system, is expected to take shape in the second half of this year. Deputy Minister of Education Jeong Jong-cheol explained, "We are researching policies for future-oriented college entrance systems including the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), and the introduction of essay-type questions will be discussed in earnest in the second half of the year to reach a conclusion. Basic research has been conducted so far, and we are gathering opinions from experts in various fields to prepare measures for the full-scale revision of the curriculum."

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