First Day at the Yeouido Office on the 30th
"Promoting Joint Growth with Not Only Flagship National Universities but Also Private Institutions"
"Establishing Prestigious Universities in the Regions Expected to Ease Private Education Burden"
Lee Jinsuk, the nominee for the first Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education under the Lee Jaemyung administration, stated on the 30th that her nomination as Minister of Education, following her tenure as president of Chungnam National University, was intended to "achieve balanced national development through education."
On this morning, Lee Jinsuk made her first appearance at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Korea Educational Facilities Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul. When asked by reporters about her thoughts on being nominated as minister, she replied, "I thought about why President Lee Jaemyung called upon someone like myself from the provinces." She added, "Going forward, I will do my utmost to fulfill my responsibilities, communicating with the educational field and listening to the voices of the people."
Lee Jinsuk, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education nominee, arrived at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Korea Educational Facilities Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 30th, responding to reporters' questions. 2025.06.30 Photo by Yoon Dongju
In 2020, Lee Jinsuk became the first female president of Chungnam National University, marking the first time a woman had been appointed president at a regional flagship national university. If she is appointed as Minister of Education, she will become the fifth female minister in the ministry's history.
During the last presidential election, she was reportedly the one who directly proposed the "Establishing 10 Seoul National Universities" pledge to the campaign. She later joined the Democratic Party's Central Election Committee as the head of the "Establishing 10 Seoul National Universities Promotion Committee." At the time, she explained, "The idea of establishing 10 Seoul National Universities has long been pursued by flagship national universities and provincial superintendents of education. I delivered this idea to the campaign, and the candidate actively accepted it."
Accordingly, Lee Jinsuk is expected to play an active role in fostering regional universities and promoting balanced regional development to realize the new administration's education pledge of raising nine regional flagship national universities to the level of Seoul National University.
However, securing the necessary budget will be critical for this initiative. The core of the "Establishing 10 Seoul National Universities" policy is to raise the per-student educational expenditure at the nine flagship national universities to 70% of Seoul National University's level, thereby enhancing their competitiveness. Currently, the annual per-student educational expenditure at Seoul National University is about 60.59 million won, while the average for regional flagship universities is 24.5 million won. It is estimated that at least 3 trillion won will be needed to close this gap. However, no specific plan for securing these financial resources has been presented yet.
In addition, there are concerns that private universities in the provinces, apart from the flagship national universities, may be excluded from the "Establishing 10 Seoul National Universities" policy, which is another issue that needs to be addressed.
Lee Jinsuk stated, "There seem to be some misunderstandings. The 'Establishing 10 Seoul National Universities' policy is designed not only for flagship national universities but also for national core universities and private universities in the regions to grow together." She added, "This policy must be developed carefully by gathering opinions from the field and establishing a prudent methodology."
JinSook Lee, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education nominee, arrived at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Korea Educational Facilities Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul on the 30th and responded to reporters' questions. 2025.06.30 Photo by Dongjoo Yoon
Lee Jinsuk also responded confidently to questions regarding recent issues in the education sector.
Regarding the increase in university tuition fees, she said, "Considering students' financial situations, we should respect and limit tuition hikes. However, looking at university finances, we cannot simply leave things as they are, so we need to find a solution." She continued, "I will consider whether that solution should be a tuition increase or if there are other possible approaches."
On the issue of private education expenses, which are nearing 30 trillion won and have reached an all-time high, she commented, "This cannot be resolved with just one or two approaches." She explained, "Strengthening public education and increasing its credibility could be one way. Another is to reduce competition in university admissions, and the 'Establishing 10 Seoul National Universities' policy is an example of such a strategy." She added, "If prestigious universities are established in the provinces, I expect that the phenomenon of local students flocking to universities in Seoul after receiving excessive private education will be greatly alleviated."
She refrained from giving a direct answer regarding the disruption in medical education caused by conflicts between the medical profession and the government. Lee Jinsuk said, "I don't think I can comment easily at this moment," and added, "I need to accurately assess the situation, listen to various opinions, and take more time to consider the issue."
She also stated that, as the AI digital textbooks promoted by former Minister Lee Juhyo continue to be a source of controversy in schools, she would seek ways to minimize confusion.
Lee Jinsuk said, "I will discuss this in consultation with the National Assembly," and added, "Since there are ways to enhance educational and policy effectiveness, we must find the best approach through careful consideration."
Lee Jinsook, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education nominee, is arriving at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Korea Educational Facilities Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul on the 30th. 2025.06.30 Photo by Yoon Dongjoo
Some have raised concerns that, as a former university president, Lee Jinsuk may focus policy more on higher education.
In response, she said, "I believe we must approach education as a continuous or lifelong system, from early childhood to higher education. No stage should be neglected." She continued, "While I will do my best to leverage my expertise in higher education, in the areas of early childhood, elementary, and secondary education, I will gather and reflect the opinions of field experts and practitioners to ensure that new policies are effectively implemented."
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