Lee Jinsuk: "English Kindergartens Should Operate Within the Scope of Public Education"

"English Education Can Also Be Included Within Public Education"
On the Abolition of Autonomous Private High Schools: "I Am Well Aware of the Issue, I Will Consider It Carefully"

Lee Jinsuk, nominee for Minister of Education, stated on July 16 that English language academies for young children, commonly referred to as "English kindergartens," should be operated within the scope of public education.

Lee made this remark in response to a question from Cho Junghoon, a member of the People Power Party, who asked, "Are English kindergartens necessary?" during the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly Education Committee that afternoon.

Lee Jinsuk, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education nominee, is returning to her seat after submitting the oath statement to Chairman Kim Youngho at the confirmation hearing held by the National Assembly Education Committee on July 16, 2025. Photo by Kim Hyunmin

Lee said, "I believe that English kindergartens should also provide services within the scope of public education."

When asked for clarification on whether she meant to incorporate English kindergartens into the public education system, Lee responded, "Private education has become so prevalent that it needs to be replaced by public education, and English education can be included within public education."

In response to a question about the reasons behind the decline in academic performance among domestic students, Lee answered, "Educational disparity," adding, "There are various causes, but it is mainly due to the overall gap in education."

Regarding whether special-purpose high schools such as autonomous private high schools are necessary, Lee replied, "I am well aware of the issue," and added, "I will consider it carefully and think about it further."

Whenever Representative Cho raised issues related to elementary, middle, and high school education, the confirmation hearing preparation team handed Lee written answers, prompting Cho to criticize, "Do you really need to cheat even for this?" and questioned, "How can we verify your convictions as a candidate for Minister of Education?"

Lee responded, "I have studied diligently over the past two weeks," and added, "What I realized while preparing for this hearing is that educational policy in our country should not be determined by one's immediate personal judgment."

She continued, "I believe that convictions should be formed carefully by listening to social consensus and the voices from the field, especially in this position."