Education Minister Nominee Park Soon-ae: "20 Years of Experience in Education Field, Not a Non-Expert"

Education Minister Nominee Park Soon-ae's First Day at Work
"I Will Strive to Dispel Doubts About Lack of Expertise"

Park Soon-ae, nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is greeting while arriving at the Education Facility Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul on the 27th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

Park Soon-ae, nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, stated on the 27th, "I have been involved in the education field for over 20 years, and it is difficult to consider me a non-expert as some external views suggest. I will strive to dispel doubts about my lack of field expertise."

On the same day, as Park arrived at the Yeouido Education Facility Safety Center, where the hearing preparation office is set up, she responded to criticism that she is a non-education expert by saying, "I have not explained my thoughts or policies on education, but I have experience managing various matters on the ground and exchanging policy discussions with the Ministry of Education."

Park added, "In line with social demands for education, I will actively support areas requiring autonomous growth and innovation, firmly handle parts that the state must be responsible for such as equal educational opportunities, gap reduction, and talent development, and work hard to realize 'education that achieves autonomy and creativity.'"

She continued, "I will endeavor to establish a systematic education system from early childhood to elementary, middle, high school, university, and lifelong education so that all students and citizens can develop their talents and capabilities and grow into core talents for the future society, achieving a comprehensive transition to future education."

Park Soon-ae, nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is arriving at the Educational Facilities Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 27th. (Photo by Yonhap News)

Park was nominated 23 days after Kim In-chul withdrew. Park is from the public and administrative sector, having been a professor at Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Administration and serving as a transition committee member in the political, judicial, and administrative division. Following Vice Minister Jang Sang-yoon from the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the appointment of a minister nominee from a non-expert background has raised strong concerns. With the COVID-19 pandemic lasting over two years and the serious issue of academic achievement gaps, the Blue House mentioned "improving inefficiency in education administration" as a reason for the Ministry of Education minister appointment, leading to expectations that the focus will be on restructuring the Ministry of Education.

The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union commented, "With pressing educational tasks such as entrance exam system reform ahead, appointing a head of education who does not understand education is questionable," adding, "There are concerns that the downsizing or restructuring of the Ministry of Education is being emphasized. Amid growing calls from the Ministry of Economy and Finance to cut local education finance grants citing declining school-age population, it is essential to raise proper demands for 'improving educational conditions.'"

Opposition lawmakers immediately called for the withdrawal of the nomination. Democratic Party members of the National Assembly's Education Committee stated in a press release, "After appointing a former official from the Office for Government Policy Coordination as vice minister, they nominated a minister from another field with only a short period of experience as an education policy advisor," and argued, "To avoid being remembered as the president who ruined education, the nomination of Park Soon-ae, a non-education expert, must be withdrawn."

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