Education Committee Criticizes 'Kim Geon-hee Thesis' for 3rd Year... Focused Review on History Textbooks and Medical School Expansion [2024 National Audit]

Opposition Predicts 'Kim Geon-hee Hearing' for Third Year
Focus on Medical School Expansion Amid Healthcare Gaps
Criticism of Bias in History Textbook Review
Opposition Urges Delay in AI Textbook Introduction

The National Assembly's Education Committee's audit will be held from the 8th, starting with the Ministry of Education, until the 24th. The agenda is packed with government policy issues such as allegations of plagiarism and forgery in First Lady Kim Geon-hee's thesis, which have continued for three years, the increase in medical school quotas, history textbooks, and AI (artificial intelligence) digital textbooks. The opposition party plans to summon related witnesses and reference persons to conduct focused questioning of the government.

According to the National Assembly Education Committee on the 8th, the opposition plans to intensively verify the allegations of plagiarism and forgery in First Lady Kim's master's thesis. Following the previous day, it is expected that the major standing committees will effectively hold a 'Kim Geon-hee hearing' on this day as well. The Education Committee has selected former Sookmyung Women's University President Jang Yoon-geum and Sookmyung Women's University President Moon Si-yeon as a witness and a reference person, respectively. In addition, regarding Kim's degree thesis, they summoned Kim Ji-yong, chairman of the Kukminhakwon School Foundation, for the third consecutive year following 2022 and last year. However, many, including former President Jang, Chairman Kim, and Professor Seol Min-shin of Hankyong National University, who was selected as a witness for the allegation of ghostwriting Kim's thesis, are expected to be absent. In response, the opposition is likely to file complaints and request issuance of escort orders for those who do not attend.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On this day, the Education Committee is also expected to focus on questions related to the increase in medical school quotas, which is affecting medical service gaps and collective leave of medical students. Witnesses include Ahn Deok-seon, president of the Korea Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation, and reference persons include Chae Hee-bok, chairperson of the emergency committee of Chungbuk National University College of Medicine.

Procedural violations in the review process of history and Korean history certified textbooks, which will be taught from the first grade of middle and high school next year, are also a key issue. The opposition points out that biased review committee members were appointed during the review process of the high school Korean history textbook certification. They also raise concerns about the participation of Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, and his youth aide as textbook writers. Witnesses summoned include Oh Seung-geol, president of the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, Kim Su-gi, CEO of the Korea Institute for Achievement Evaluation, and Kim Geon-ho, the youth aide.

The Education Committee will also verify the AI digital textbooks, which will be gradually introduced from early next year for grades 3-4 in elementary school, grade 1 in middle school, and grade 1 in high school. The opposition has criticized the preparation for AI textbooks as insufficient and has argued that the introduction should be delayed. They say more time is needed to verify technical improvements and potential adverse effects on learning. Related reference persons attending include Park Myung-jae, an edutech evaluation committee member of the Korea Creative Content Agency, and Baek Woon-hee, an operating committee member of Moms in Politics.