Prime Minister Han Visits Ministry of Education, Pledges Full Support for Advanced Industry Talent Development

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] On the 9th, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo urged Ministry of Education staff regarding the cultivation of talent in advanced industries, saying, "At least five ministries, including myself, will do our utmost to assist. Please draw a magnificent picture on a blank sheet of paper."

This came just two days after President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the Ministry of Education to devote itself to nurturing talent in science and technology fields such as semiconductors.

Prime Minister Han revealed this during a meeting with reporters from the Prime Minister's Office in the afternoon, sharing an anecdote from his visit to the Ministry of Education.

He also emphasized at the Ministry of Education visit, "The President has presented a grand vision of nurturing talent as the future growth engine, and from the perspective of talent cultivation, the most important department is the Ministry of Education."

This underscores the necessity of nurturing relevant talent to become a nation leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, a point stressed by both President Yoon and Prime Minister Han.

At the Cabinet meeting on the 7th, when Vice Minister Jang Sang-yoon of the Ministry of Education mentioned difficulties in nurturing semiconductor talent due to enrollment restrictions at universities in the Seoul metropolitan area, President Yoon criticized, saying, "What meaning does education have if it clings to outdated practices?" and added, "The Ministry of Education only has significance when it plays the role of supplying science and technology talent. If it does not innovate, the Ministry of Education could become a target for reform."

Prime Minister Han told reporters, "The President said, 'In the 1960s, our parents farmed and raised cattle in rural areas, selling cattle to educate their children, which laid the foundation for the textile and steel industries,' and added, "There has probably never been a time when all ministries launched an all-out effort to support the Ministry of Education as they are now."

At a meeting with the Ministry of Education press corps, Prime Minister Han said, "To develop industries and technologies that form the foundation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, such as advanced industries, into the world's best industries by integrating them with our main industries, the core strategy is fundamentally nurturing talent, rather than guaranteeing economic scale, pouring money, or securing technology as in the past."

Regarding this, Prime Minister Han stated, "Technology and capital come and go, but talent, once nurtured, remains the longest-lasting asset in a country," and added, "(The President) is thinking of launching an all-out effort over five years to nurture talent."

He continued, "If this is supported on a whole-of-government basis, the proper talent cultivation envisioned by the President will be fully realized," and reiterated the role of the Ministry of Education, saying, "In that sense, the Ministry of Education is bearing a heavy burden." He said, "Although the Ministry of Education is not an industrial department, it plays the most important role in the economy," and added, "I came to say that what the Ministry of Education does is almost on the level of national security."

In response to criticism that education is being approached only from an economic perspective, Prime Minister Han replied, "That is not the case. It is not about ignoring the cultivation of character and virtue; of course, these aspects are also addressed while harmoniously nurturing good talent." He further explained, "Character is cultivated in elementary and secondary education, and universities can focus on nurturing talent related to industry and technology," emphasizing, "It is wrong to say that only people with good character should be nurtured and that adaptability to industry or technical skills are unnecessary."

Regarding enrollment restrictions in semiconductor-related departments, he said, "We will increase enrollment quotas both in the metropolitan area and in provincial regions," adding, "Provincial universities do not have abundant resources, so support is needed."

He told the staff, "If you provide good education and produce good talent, our country's economy will develop, and our society will nurture good people, becoming the world's 5th or 6th most advanced country."

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