[Full Text] New Year's Address by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye (photo) has decided to focus on institutional reforms across society, including education, this year in three directions: fairness, inclusion, and innovation.

The following is the full text of the New Year's address.

Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye is announcing the "Measures to Strengthen Fairness in the College Admission System" on the 28th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Dear fellow citizens,

The Year of the Rat has dawned.

Happy New Year to all of you.

Above all, I sincerely wish you a healthy and happy year.

Last year, the Ministry of Education focused on enhancing the public nature of education. Thanks to your wholehearted interest, we were able to start free high school education, expand the beneficiaries of half-price tuition, and raise the support unit price for the Nuri Curriculum for ages 3 to 5 for the first time in seven years. Above all, the policy to strengthen the public nature of kindergartens is taking root in the field.

These achievements would have been impossible without your support.

I sincerely bow my head in gratitude.

It was also a busy year to increase trust in education.

We have made efforts to respond strictly to educational corruption issues such as sexual violence in education and sports sectors, recruitment irregularities in public institutions, listing minor children as co-authors on papers, and structural corruption in some private schools. We conducted focused investigations on related matters and prepared mid- to long-term measures such as private school innovation plans.

Important changes in the education system were also announced.

We proposed directions to reform the high school system and strengthen fairness in college admissions to improve the education system, which has been evaluated as favoring certain minority groups, and the Ministry of Education will diligently carry these out this year.

However, humbly reflecting on the achievements felt by our citizens, there were many shortcomings. Also, when evaluating whether our society has become fair, there is still a long way to go, and I believe comprehensive social reform is absolutely necessary.

Dear fellow citizens,

2020 is the year that opens a new decade for the Republic of Korea, and as our government, born from the Candlelight Revolution, passes the halfway point of its term, it is time to show the changes you feel more clearly.

As Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs, throughout 2020,

I will focus on institutional reforms across society, including education.

The directions for social institutional reform are fairness, inclusion, and innovation.

First, we will improve unfair and unequal social systems to realize the value of fairness.

It is absolutely unacceptable that parental power is effectively inherited by children through certain systems, and that our children and youth, witnessing this, become despondent and distrust the Korean social system itself.

If there are privileges, unfair advantages, or possibilities of external interference, we will boldly improve them and ensure that reforms are not temporary fixes but include mid- to long-term legislative and institutional improvements. The government will do its best to proactively identify and respond to unfair systems first.

The second direction of social institutional reform is guaranteeing basic living for all citizens.

We will establish a more robust social safety net for low-income and emergency crisis households than currently exists. We will pay special attention to eliminating blind spots in areas directly related to human dignity such as education, housing, and healthcare.

Also, to guarantee basic living for all citizens, we will further strengthen the state's responsibility in areas of care, learning, labor, old age, environment, and safety.

Third, we will expand investment in talent development, the foundation of innovation, and strengthen the connection between work, learning, and life for the people.

To this end, through the , we will coordinate innovation talent development plans and implementation processes across ministries to promote effective talent cultivation and begin focused talent development in new technologies.

Additionally, to support life re-challenges for our citizens, we will innovate the education system to effectively link university education, lifelong education, and vocational training, so that even without a degree, people can receive education when they want and have their qualifications recognized.

I will strengthen the role of the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs in 2020 to ensure that the 'people-centered social policy' moves beyond declaration and is implemented as short- and mid- to long-term policies. I will lead effective policy linkage among social ministries, active collaboration, and expanded investment in social policies.

Dear fellow citizens,

and beloved members of the education community,

In 2020, the Ministry of Education will maintain last year's policy direction,

focusing on building a future education system suitable for the future society and restoring trust in education.

Education is preparing the nation's future,

and the Ministry of Education must concretize preparations to nurture good talent.

Beyond the past uniform, competition-centered education of the industrial era and selective education for outstanding talent,

we must nurture diverse talents with different interests.

Fundamental reflection and innovation of the entire education system are necessary.

Last year, the Ministry of Education announced several educational changes through new policies, and these will be firmly established in the field in 2020.

In particular, we will pay special attention to ten policies: strengthening the public nature of early childhood education, revitalizing democratic citizenship education, resolving high school ranking, strengthening general high school capabilities, promoting the high school credit system, innovating school spaces, strengthening fairness in college admissions, private school innovation, supporting university and junior college innovation, and activating employment for high school graduates.

Innovating the high school system, simplifying the college admissions system,

starting a new education system called the high school credit system,

and dramatically increasing trust in educational institutions through private school innovation,

are not easy tasks.

However, because they are difficult, we cannot turn back or avoid them.

For our elementary, middle, and high school education to move from school ranking to educational diversification,

for our university education to have competitiveness leading future social changes,

and to increase public trust in education,

the Ministry of Education will establish these ten policies and bring about changes in the education system.

We will also actively respond to changes in population structure such as the decline in school-age population and the resulting industrial structure changes. External changes will be made an opportunity to lead Korean education toward future education.

Reform of education governance did not bear fruit last year.

The must be launched to establish mid- to long-term education policies and prepare proactively for the future education system. I ask for your interest and support so that the National Education Commission Act is passed in the National Assembly in 2020.

Dear fellow citizens,

and cherished members of the education community,

The Ministry of Education will always thoughtfully consider whether even a single policy changes citizens' lives and contributes to our children's happiness, seek answers in the field, communicate, and work.

Education is renewed day by day,

and we will build a better Ministry of Education than yesterday.

Everyone, Happy New Year.

Thank you.

January 2, 2019

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye