Eradicating the 'Private Education Cartel'... Ministry of Education Holds Response Meeting with Fair Trade Commission and Police Agency

by Yoo Byeongdon

Published 22 Jun.2023 15:08(KST)

The government has established a strict response policy to the recently controversial private education 'interest cartel' and has begun taking concrete measures.

On the afternoon of the 22nd, the Ministry of Education held an intergovernmental response council meeting on private education cartels and irregularities at the Government Seoul Office, chaired by Vice Minister Jang Sang-yoon of the Ministry of Education.

This meeting was a follow-up measure after President Yoon Seok-yeol recently criticized the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) for questions outside the curriculum and targeted the creation of killer questions (ultra-difficult questions) as an 'interest cartel' between the education authorities and private education companies.

On the afternoon of the 22nd, Jang Sang-yoon, Vice Minister of Education, is speaking at the Government's Interagency Council for Countermeasures against Private Education Cartels and Corruption held at the Seoul Government Complex.
[Photo by Ministry of Education]

The government believes that various private education irregularities, such as private education cartels and false advertisements by academies, played a role in driving private education expenses for elementary, middle, and high school students to a record high of 26 trillion won last year.

The government is taking the recent situation seriously and plans to unite efforts across government agencies to respond to suspected cases of private education irregularities.

Attendees at the meeting included the Vice Minister of Education, the Director of Planning and Coordination and the Head of the Private Education Countermeasures Team responsible for private education measures, as well as the Director of Market Surveillance at the Fair Trade Commission, the Investigation Planning Coordinator of the National Police Agency, the Deputy Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the Deputy Superintendent of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, and the Director of Planning and Coordination at the Korea Internet Advertising Foundation.

Additionally, the government will operate a two-week intensive reporting period for suspected cases of private education cartels and irregularities from today until July 6.

Anyone, including students and parents who have directly suffered from irregularities in private education such as academies, tutoring centers, and private tutors, as well as general citizens aware of private education cartels, can report through the Ministry of Education website (www.moe.go.kr) at the 'Private Education Cartel and Irregularities Reporting Center.'

The government plans to respond cooperatively through the Ministry of Education, education offices, the Fair Trade Commission, and the National Police Agency upon receiving reports.

Furthermore, in cooperation with the Korea Internet Advertising Foundation, the government plans to monitor unfair private education advertisements.