Superintendents: "AI Digital Textbook Subscription Fees Are Burdensome to Cover with Local Finances"

AI Digital Textbook Verification Hearing
Opposition Education Committee Members: "Was It Really Necessary to Rush?"
Deputy Prime Minister Lee Juho: "An Open Mind for a New Path"
Opposition Urges Kim Minjeon to Resign Over 'Baekgoldan' Press Conference Controversy

Opposition members of the National Assembly's Education Committee intensely questioned the Ministry of Education about the effectiveness and procedural legitimacy of the AI (Artificial Intelligence) digital textbook policy. The metropolitan and provincial superintendents of education, who are pushing for on-site implementation, appealed that asking them to cover subscription fees with local government financial grants is harsh.

The National Assembly Education Committee held a hearing on the verification of AI digital textbooks on the 17th. The hearing focused mainly on questions regarding the procedural legitimacy of introducing AI digital textbooks and their learning effectiveness.

Democratic Party lawmaker Jin Sun-mi asked the metropolitan and provincial superintendents of education, who must introduce AI digital textbooks in schools, whether there are any side effects of the project and if there are any tangible benefits. Lawmaker Jin said, "Every project has some effect. However, it must be judged whether the effect gained from spending an enormous amount of money is proper, and currently, the digital textbooks do not meet that standard at all."

In response, Lee Jeong-seon, Superintendent of Education of Gwangju Metropolitan City, said, "We thought the Ministry of Education would provide a separate guarantee fee (subscription fee), but they said it would be replaced by local government financial grants and the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education budget," adding, "Our education office, which is financially poor, currently has no way to handle this."

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Park Jong-hoon, Superintendent of Education of Gyeongsangnam-do, also said, "The price of printed textbooks is about 10,000 KRW on average for Health, but the companies' position is around 90,000 to 120,000 KRW, nearly ten times more expensive," adding, "Asking local education finances to bear such a burden is excessively harsh."

Opposition lawmakers pointed out that the preparation period for introducing AI digital textbooks is short. Kang Kyung-sook of the Justice Party said, "At least printed textbooks take several days for development, review, and adoption preparation," adding, "The development period for AI digital textbooks is 12 months, but the review period was only three months." She continued, "Why did it have to be done so urgently? It is the world's first, it is AI, and it is for children, so why was it done this way?" she criticized.

Democratic Party lawmaker Ko Min-jung also pointed out, "The announcement for the review was made on August 31, meaning the textbooks did not have official status when the review announcement was made," calling it "a procedural illegality."

In response, Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, said, "Since this is a new path, we have been working with an open mind to minimize risks and introduce innovation as much as possible."

When Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party asked, "What do you think is the reason opposition lawmakers are holding a hearing and opposing this so strongly?" Deputy Prime Minister Lee replied, "The curriculum, college entrance, and textbook systems are all interlinked, and a major change is set for the 2025 academic year. We have been promoting AI digital textbooks to prepare well for that," adding, "We apologize for the parts that were not well coordinated." He further urged, "I ask both ruling and opposition parties to reach an agreement even at the last moment so that AI digital textbooks can be successfully established."

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Meanwhile, before the hearing, opposition lawmakers urged Kim Min-jeon of the People Power Party to resign from the Education Committee after he was criticized for arranging a National Assembly press conference for the 'Anti-Communist Youth Group.' Kim Min-jeon was criticized for organizing the National Assembly press conference of the 'Anti-Communist Youth Group,' which held a rally opposing the arrest of President Yoon Seok-yeol on the 9th.

Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Moon-soo showed a photo of martyr Lee Han-yeol bleeding after being hit by a tear gas canister and said, "Behind the sacrifice of Lee Han-yeol, there was not only tear gas but also the violent organization Baekgoldan that trampled on democracy," adding, "The name Baekgoldan was summoned today at the press conference of Kim Min-jeon, a member of the National Assembly Education Committee."

Democratic Party lawmaker Jeong Eui-ho also said, "It is absolutely unacceptable that a member of the National Assembly, who should be a role model for children with proper democratic and historical awareness, brought the symbol of violence and dictatorship that oppressed democracy in the 1980s and 1990s into the National Assembly." Lawmaker Ko Min-jung pointed out, "When lawmaker Kim Moon-soo was showing the photo and speaking, lawmaker Kim Min-jeon was smiling with his arms crossed," adding, "Does everything end if the perpetrator organizes it? Shouldn't the victims accept it for it to be resolved?"

In response, Kim Min-jeon said, "Some youths asked our office to arrange a press conference regarding the unfairness of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Agency (PCA) investigation and the removal of the charge of rebellion from the Constitutional Court's impeachment motion against President Yoon, and I thought it was legitimate and agreed to arrange it," adding, "I heard for the first time that there is an organization called Baekgoldan under the Anti-Communist Youth Group."

Kim Min-jeon said, "I deeply regret not being more cautious and not being more careful in my office when arranging the press conference," adding, "Although I introduced them without knowing their names, I sincerely apologize for reminding people of the historical wounds we have."

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