Jeong Geun-sik and Lee Jae-myung Emphasize 'Promotion of Free High School Education'... Opposition Party Says "Will Pass in the Plenary Session"

"Subsidy Act Passed at the Plenary Session on the 28th"
Lee Jae-myung "Unconvinced by Ultra-Wealthy Tax Cuts"

Jung Geun-sik, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, met with Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and said, "The government must give the public a firm belief that it will unwaveringly pursue free high school education under any circumstances." Lee also agreed, saying, "Education is a long-term plan for a hundred years," and emphasized the need to prevent the sunset of free high school education.

On the 27th, at Kumho High School in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, during an on-site meeting for free high school education, Superintendent Jung stated, "The government has not allocated the budget for the portion previously borne by the central government due to the approaching sunset, causing instability in the free high school education policy."

He added, "In the case of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the burden will increase by about 170 billion won annually, and nationwide by about 940 billion won," and said, "If the sunset occurs, the financial burden on education offices will significantly increase, inevitably causing setbacks in improving aging educational facilities and implementing major educational projects for students."

In response, Lee pointed out, "Among OECD countries, South Korea was the only country where individuals bore the cost of high school education fees, but that changed in 2019," and criticized, "Now, it is regressing to a state where the government refuses responsibility and tells people to manage on their own."

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, is speaking at an on-site meeting for free high school education held at Kumho High School in Seongdong-gu, Seoul on the 27th. Photo by the National Assembly Press Photographers Group

He continued, "While local education offices with financial capacity might manage, those without such capacity will likely have to drastically reduce other projects or cut costs for student welfare or school facility maintenance," and said, "This is less than one trillion won, so I really cannot understand why tens of trillions of won are being given as tax cuts to the ultra-rich."

The National Assembly's Education Committee is currently pushing for the Local Education Finance Grant Act, which extends government support for free high school education budgets by three years. According to the education sector, the grant act is expected to pass the plenary session on the 28th. However, since the government and ruling party strongly oppose it, there is a high possibility that the president will exercise the veto power (reconsideration request).

Kim Young-ho, a Democratic Party member and chair of the National Assembly Education Committee, emphasized, "The Education Committee recently passed the Local Education Finance Grant Act, which extends special national funding support for three more years, through a solo vote by the opposition party, and it will be passed in the plenary session on the 28th," adding, "The Yoon Seok-yeol administration should not blame the national fiscal crisis it brought upon itself on children's education."

Moon Jung-bok, Democratic Party member and opposition whip of the Education Committee, also criticized, "The general grants of local education finance grants keep decreasing, and now they are trying to use the Education Stabilization Fund," saying, "The grants are not an inexhaustible source of funds." Moon warned, "If funds keep being withdrawn, a situation will arise where even teachers' salaries cannot be paid," and stated, "No more tampering with the grants should be allowed."

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