Female Students Can Buy Only Pants Uniforms · Influencers Also Punished for Undisclosed Advertising

18th Social Relations Ministers' Meeting Held
School Uniform Choice Accepted by Ministry of Education

Celebrity Sanctions for Undisclosed Advertising
Advising Professors within 4th Degree Relatives Cannot Serve as Specialists
Exam Fees Must Be Charged Separately by Session

The above photo is not related to the article. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] From now on, each school must conduct bidding so that female students can choose between school uniform skirts or pants.

On the 30th, the Ministry of Education discussed this matter at the 18th Social Relations Ministers' Meeting, jointly prepared with related ministries at the Government Seoul Office. The most notable agenda was the right to choose school uniforms. This decision was made after the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission recommended system improvements to 17 metropolitan and provincial offices of education nationwide last August, and the Ministry of Education accepted it. When schools purchase 'school-organized' uniforms through bidding, the application form must include pants uniforms as a selection option. In some metropolitan areas, the application form only allowed boys to choose pants and girls to choose skirts. If female students wanted to buy pants, they had to purchase skirts first and then buy pants additionally.

Additionally, at this meeting, measures were finalized to impose sanctions not only on advertisers but also on influencers and celebrities to prevent unfair advertising on social network services (SNS), known as 'backdoor advertising,' starting next year. After a guidance period, from January next year, fines of up to 2% of related sales or up to 500 million KRW will be imposed according to Article 9 of the Act on Labeling and Advertising.

A 'conflict of interest system' will also be introduced within universities to prohibit professional research personnel service at an institution if a relative within the fourth degree is the advisor professor. Under the current Military Service Act, relatives within the fourth degree of a company CEO cannot serve, but there were no regulations related to university professors.

Furthermore, from next year, examination fees for tests such as tax accountant, customs broker, and appraiser will be separated by test stage, and those who do not attend the second stage will not have to pay the fee. If a candidate cannot attend the exam on the test day due to unavoidable reasons, a refund will also be possible afterward.