[Insight & Opinion] Education Policy Tainted by Socialist Ideology

The collapse of the communist system was due to its failure to acknowledge the basic human desire for greater achievement and ownership. In contrast, China's current development and competitiveness are the result of introducing market capitalism based on competition into its economy and education, regardless of its political system. Through competition, talented individuals produced by several world-class universities have become the driving force that has elevated China to a nation capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States.

Meanwhile, in our society, socialist ideology has permeated various aspects, excluding competition and failing to recognize excellence, thereby casting a shadow over our future. The widespread perception that outcomes resulting from competition are unfair is diminishing the nation's dynamism. Rather than eliminating competition, we should implement a dual policy: maximizing results through competition while providing support to those who fall behind so they can make a comeback.

It is bewildering to see politicians questioning the justification for a CEO's 10 billion won compensation or calling for CEO pay to be capped at ten times that of entry-level employees, while society readily accepts sports stars or celebrities earning tens of billions of won through competition. It makes one wonder if these politicians are not simply immersed in communist ideology rather than being members of a liberal democracy. This is because they emphasize the value of labor while refusing to recognize the value of capital or the willingness to take risks.

Looking at recent trends among American big tech companies, they are increasing productivity through active utilization of AI, while at the same time laying off nearly 10% of excess staff, including underperformers. For both nations and companies, continuous improvement in productivity and competitiveness is essential for progress. In the process, those affected by layoffs are consistently offered early retirement packages (ERP) and educational opportunities. In many cases, such layoffs are followed by a rise in stock prices. In other words, the market views these measures not as inhumane or antisocial, but as positive for the organization. Even companies with a market capitalization of $4 trillion are laying off thousands of employees.

Before developing sovereign AI, societies must be able to flexibly restructure themselves for the AI era. However, countries where socialist ideology is prevalent are being identified as having low receptiveness to AI. As a result, global competitiveness is declining, and the outflow of talented individuals and capital?already in short supply?is accelerating, which is a serious issue. We need to nurture talent capable of restructuring the nation and society through education, but the education sector itself is so deeply influenced by socialist ideology that it fails to cultivate capable individuals, and the policies it produces are holding the country back.

Progressive superintendents are calling for the abolition of special-purpose high schools and autonomous private high schools designed for excellence in education. They also seek to ban English kindergartens, which are chosen by parents dissatisfied with public education. Furthermore, they refuse to recognize even Seoul National University, which is said to gather top students, instead proposing to create ten such universities.

Parents spare no effort to invest in raising their children as globally competitive talents, but education policymakers, who are steeped in socialist ideology, refuse to acknowledge competition, early education, or excellence-based education, instead aiming for downward standardization. As a result, we are unable to nurture globally competitive talent or properly reward those we do have, raising concerns for the country's future. Ultimately, ideology is holding the nation back.

Kim Hongjin, CEO of Work Innovation Lab