President Lee: "Current Admissions System Faces Excessive Competition... AI Must Be Fully Introduced in Education"

100th Day Inauguration Press Conference

On September 11, President Lee Jae-myung addressed educational issues, stating, "Fundamentally, the problem lies in excessive competition," and emphasized, "Unless we resolve the current worst-case competition, this issue will never be solved."

President Lee Jae-myung is responding at the 100-day inauguration press conference titled "100 Days for Recovery, Growth for the Future" held at the Blue House State Guesthouse on the 11th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

During the 100-day inauguration press conference held that day, President Lee responded to a reporter's question about the possibility of changes in the direction of the current college admissions system, saying, "It is clear that we must thoroughly overhaul the curriculum, its content, and objectives."

President Lee stated, "I believe educational issues ultimately come down to how we can create more opportunities, how we can foster greater growth, and how we can distribute opportunities more equitably." He continued, "For quite some time, an education system suited to a mass-production society has served as the foundation for our country's economic growth. We have trained people to fit into standardized labor suitable for factory work, but now we have reached the limit."

He further remarked, "Even though we are in an era where individuality and creativity are crucial, I question whether the educational field has truly changed. Due to issues such as educational space, teaching staff, finances, and curriculum, we are struggling to shift direction. The key is how to implement these changes concretely."

President Lee, who pledged to make South Korea a leading nation in artificial intelligence (AI) during his presidential campaign, said, "Just as addition and subtraction are fundamental in mathematics, AI will become a basic part of everyday life." He proposed adding key initiatives such as "full-scale implementation of AI education" and "enhancing AI utilization skills for all citizens."

Regarding the college admissions issue, he commented, "There are ongoing debates about whether to prioritize early or regular admissions, but unless we resolve the problem of extreme competition, it will never be solved." He added, "Once the (National) Education Committee is normalized, we can discuss educational issues further there."