Intensive Crackdown on Private Education Companies for Excessive Tuition Fees and False Advertising

Three Joint Inspections to Be Conducted from the 19th Until Year-End

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The government will intensively crack down on private education companies that charge excessive tuition fees taking advantage of rising prices by the end of the year or engage in false and exaggerated advertising exploiting parents' anxiety over learning loss caused by COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education will conduct joint inspections of illegal private education activities three times from the 19th of this month until the end of December (1st round: July to August, 2nd round: August to October, 3rd round: November to December) in cooperation with related ministries including the Fair Trade Commission, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the National Police Agency.

Considering the nature of private education spaces where many infants, children, and adolescents receive lessons together, safety-related risk factors such as fire, crime, and school bus accidents will also be inspected. Quarantine measures such as mandatory mask-wearing to prevent COVID-19 infection and recommendations for periodic ventilation in enclosed environments will be checked as well.

During the first joint inspection period starting on the 19th, about 25 specialists will focus inspections on academy-dense areas in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Other city and provincial offices of education will conduct their own inspections. In the joint inspection process, the Fair Trade Commission, National Tax Service, National Police Agency, and Fire Agency will actively utilize their expertise in investigating unfair advertising practices, checking criminal records related to child abuse, conducting fire safety inspections, and investigating tax evasion to enhance inspection efficiency.

Jung Byung-ik, Director of the Lifelong Vocational Education Bureau at the Ministry of Education, said, "This joint inspection will help proactively respond to illegal tuition fee collection taking advantage of rising prices and prevent risks directly related to student safety such as fires, school bus accidents, and infectious diseases."

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