Kim Chang-kyung Transition Committee Member: "Revival of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Has Not Been Discussed Yet"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Kim Chang-kyung, a member of the Science, Technology, and Education Subcommittee of the 20th Presidential Transition Committee, stated that the possibility of reviving the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology in the next administration, which has been mentioned by some, "has not yet been discussed in government reorganization."

On the afternoon of the 23rd, Kim conveyed this through a text exchange with an Asia Economy reporter. In this regard, as President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol recently formed the transition committee and established the Science, Technology, and Education Subcommittee, there has been analysis suggesting that during the next government's reorganization, a ministry overseeing both education and science and technology, similar to the Lee Myung-bak administration, might be created.

Regarding concerns raised by some officials of national research institutes that, due to his past experience during the Lee Myung-bak administration as the Blue House Science and Technology Secretary and the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology?where he promoted the 'merger and integration of national research institutes and specialized universities' such as the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology and KAIST?there might be another push for mergers and structural reforms, Kim clarified, "I am in charge of education, and the merger of national research institutes is not my responsibility."

Kim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Metallurgical Engineering and majored in Materials Engineering at MIT. Despite being known as an advocate of the 4th Industrial Revolution and a digital platform expert, he explained why he was assigned to handle education in the transition committee. He said, "I have served as a university professor for 25 years, spent 11 years at MIT, and was responsible for higher education policy as the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education, so I possess expertise in the education field."

However, Kim confirmed that he will participate in the 'Digital Platform Government Construction' initiative, which is known to have been founded by President-elect Yoon. Kim stated, "I will be involved in the Digital Platform Task Force."

Meanwhile, it is known that Kim has a long-standing relationship with President-elect Yoon, as his father served as a professor at Yonsei University alongside Yoon's father. Additionally, Kim is a fourth-degree relative of Kim Mi-kyung, former Ewha Womans University professor and wife of former People Power Party emergency committee chairman Kim Jong-in. In this presidential election, Kim was appointed as the head of the 4th Industrial Revolution Leading Policy Headquarters under the People Power Party's policy headquarters, and is known to have laid the foundation for President-elect Yoon's digital platform government pledge.

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