Deputy Prime Minister Lee Jooho Steps Down: "AI Digital Textbooks, Medical Reform Disputes Due to My Leadership"

Stepping Down After Two Years and Nine Months in Office

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Jooho is stepping down after two years and nine months in office. While emphasizing the significance of the education reforms promoted during the previous administration, Lee expressed regret regarding contentious educational issues such as AI digital textbooks and medical reform.

According to the Ministry of Education on July 29, President Lee Jaemyung approved Lee's resignation that day. In his farewell address, Lee stated, "On a personal note, over the past two years and nine months, as I once again took responsibility for education policy, I have tried to urgently pursue educational reform tasks for the future of our children and our nation, regardless of ideology or political faction."

Lee Juho, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, retired on the 29th. Photo by Ministry of Education

He added, "In particular, I sought to establish a system in which education policy could develop its own capacity for innovation and continue to progress, even without being greatly affected by changes in government or political circumstances."

Lee continued, "As you are all aware, the crises currently faced by our society and government are difficult to resolve with the fragmented approaches of the past. Not only in education but also in other challenging reforms, solutions can only be found through communication and cooperation that span multiple fields and organizations."

As examples, he cited the education reform initiatives pursued over the past three years, such as the integration of early childhood education and care, the Neulbom School program, AI textbooks, and RISE (Regional Innovation System for Education). Lee stated, "These changes cannot be achieved by the Ministry of Education alone. Only when all parties?including government ministries, education offices, local governments, universities, teachers in the field, parents, the private sector, and civic groups?communicate and cooperate continuously, can such transformation become possible."

He also expressed his regrets. Lee said, "Although we did our best at every moment, if meaningful changes such as digital-based educational innovation with AI textbooks, medical reform, university admissions system reform, reduction of private education expenses, and improvement of students' emotional health have not taken deeper root in the field, it is entirely due to my lack of leadership." He added, "I trust that my colleagues at the Ministry of Education will continue to communicate and cooperate with the field to resolve the remaining tasks."

Lee urged the Ministry to continue its policy efforts for future generations, recommended Jonathan Haidt's book "The Anxious Generation" to staff members, and presented copies of the book to 30 employees of the Ministry of Education.