Presidential Office Sends Note to Deputy Minister of Education Saying "Do Not Mention School System Reform" in Education Committee Report Controversy

Note Found Mentioning Presidential Office Secretary
Opposition: "Vice Minister Is a Figurehead, Behind-the-Scenes of Presidential Office"

Jang Sang-yoon, Vice Minister of Education, attended the full meeting of the Education Committee held at the National Assembly on the morning of the 9th and received a note with the name of Kwon Seong-yeon, Education Secretary of the Presidential Office.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jun-yi] On the 9th, during the National Assembly Education Committee's work report session, it was revealed that the Presidential Office had sent a note to the Deputy Minister of Education advising "it would be better not to mention the school system reform," sparking controversy.

That morning, the National Assembly Education Committee held a plenary meeting and received work reports from the Ministry of Education and others. Deputy Minister of Education Jang Sang-yoon attended in place of Park Soon-ae, the Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, who resigned the day before.

During the work report, a scene was captured by media cameras showing a note with the name of Kwon Seong-yeon, the Presidential Office Education Secretary, placed on Deputy Minister Jang’s desk. The note read, "At today's standing committee, regarding questions about lowering the school starting age controversy, it is better not to mention school system reform, after gathering opinions through the National Education Council and conducting a public survey."

In response, Kim Young-ho, the opposition party's secretary of the Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, stated during a procedural speech, "It was caught on camera that Secretary Kwon from the Blue House handed a note to the Deputy Minister telling him not to mention school system reform. If this is true, it means the Deputy Minister is just a figurehead here, while the control tower is actually the Presidential Secretaries behind the scenes."

Deputy Minister Jang explained, "I did receive opinions and notes, but those are just opinions, and I can make my own judgment and respond accordingly."

Jang Sang-yoon, Vice Minister of Education, is attending the full meeting of the Education Committee held at the National Assembly on the 9th, responding to questions from lawmakers. Photo by Yoon Dong-joo doso7@

After adjourning and resuming the meeting, Education Committee Chair Yoo Ki-hong said, "Is it appropriate for a Presidential Office secretary to attend a standing committee and tell the Deputy Minister, who is answering the members' questions, not to respond to certain things?" He criticized again, "The most important issue in today's work report is the matter of five-year-olds entering elementary school, yet the Presidential Office Education Secretary is telling him not to answer about it."

Deputy Minister Jang replied, "Policy Planning Officer Kim Jeong-hyun could not arrive, so the situation was conveyed via a note. However, I am responsible for the answers."

On the ruling party side, Lee Tae-gyu, a member of the People Power Party, called Kim’s question "an excessive political attack," but also urged, "The government should exercise caution and pay attention here."