A year amid controversy over the increase in medical schools, what is the position of the Ministry of Education?

■ Host: Anchor Jeong Jin-hyung and Anchor Lee Eun-sol
■ Starring: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho

* The text below may differ from the actual broadcast content, so please check the broadcast for more accurate information. Please specify [YTN New Square 8PM] when quoting.

[Anchor]
The college entrance exam for the 2025 academic year is over, and college entrance exams are underway. With the increase in medical school, this entrance examination has more variables than ever. The controversy involved has not yet been knotted. Let's take a look at current issues in the education community with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho. Please come in. The Ministry of Education has also come up with many policies this year, so what can you say if you point out the achievements first?

[Juho]
First of all, as you all know about the spring policy, isn't there a lot of burden of care from parents in the case of elementary school children? But it's really difficult if the children return from 1 p.m. From 1 to 3, we always provide free programs such as children's fencing and ballet. I think the response is very good. So, we implemented the entire first grade this year, and about 80% of the first graders participated, and the satisfaction of those who participated rose to 90% in some areas. Therefore, it is considered a very successful policy, and next year, it will include all second-grade children and expand to all elementary schools next year. So I think it was a great achievement. Also, in elementary and middle school, there is a classroom revolution, so children need to develop new capabilities in the AI digital age, but they need to develop their personality, and their knowledge changes completely, right? So AI digital textbooks will be introduced in earnest from next semester. The verification results will be announced tomorrow so that you can see all AI digital practices. We've been preparing a lot. And in the university sector, Glocal University is very difficult as our local universities decrease the student population. However, to become a hub for regional innovation, we have selected and supported up to 20 universities that have rooted in the region and are expanding globally. And in order to have such a system, we transferred half of the Ministry of Education's support amount and established it as a Rise system so that local governments can help local universities immediately. It's a year of so many changes in education.

[Anchor]
The College Scholastic Ability Test is over. Now, isn't the admission process for each university going on? There is also an announcement of successful candidates for early admission early next month.
The medical community continues to call for the cancellation of medical applications for the 2025 school year, but what do you think about this?

[Juho]
As the Minister of Education this year, I apologize to the people, and the unfortunate thing is that medical students have not returned for more than nine months. Last time, the government allowed him to take a big break. In doing so, medical professors are also working hard to get students back at the school site. Also, since many students will increase next year, the Ministry of Education is preparing for it now.

[Anchor]
The arguments of both sides seem to continue to run parallel, but not long ago, the representatives' meeting continued to insist on the existing position, that is, the complete abolition, right? But will students who have refused classes for a year come back just because it is the new semester? How do you see this, Minister?

[Juho]
It's been more than nine months now, so in fact, after a year, each and every person is a talented person, but it's a big loss. There is also a big blow to the supply and demand of manpower nationally. So professors are also actively trying to come back next year. I believe I have to come back and I'll come back again.

[Anchor]
Then what happens to the educational authorities' countermeasures here if they don't return?

[Juho]
I don't want to postulate... I'm going to do my best anyway. As for the government, there was something that we couldn't communicate well until then. I think the wall of distrust was too high. However, I think I will definitely come back because the ruling and opposition party's government council was also launched and efforts to return students through cooperation between medical schools and the Ministry of Education began.

[Anchor]
The ruling and opposition parties' political consultative body has also been formed and is going back. They're participating, too. Another key issue is 2026. At that time, the number of medical students increased, but there seems to be no narrowing of differences on this part.

[Juho]
What the government proposes is an organization for estimating the supply and demand of medical personnel. Let the medical community participate in it and have a conversation with scientific grounds. The government is in a position to open up and talk. Right now, the 2025 issue is still being demanded, but we can't change it in 2025 when the CSAT is over and the occasional admission is announced. That's why we're going to focus on the 2026 school year and discuss it. There is still a gap, but we are trying to narrow it down.

[Anchor]
Another big issue in this entrance examination is the leakage of Yonsei University's natural essay exam, but of course, Yonsei University announced yesterday that it would conduct an additional examination. What does the Ministry of Education think about this countermeasure?

[Juho]
I think that alternative is actually one of the alternatives that can resolve legal disputes early. So, once we have chosen an alternative, we will notify the students as soon as possible and supervise them so that it can be a fair additional test.

[Anchor]
You said you want to be a fair exam director, but Yonsei University said it would pick 261 people each, which is a quota, in both the original exam and the additional exam on December 8th. So it means that it can be doubled up to a maximum. How do you see fairness in this part? Is there a point that will be a problem?

[Juho]
There are laws and regulations. It's a kind of over-recruitment due to university negligence. In that case, it is decided in the next year and the year after that, so the quota for the next year will be reduced as much as the additional recruitment for the next year. So the government will demand that the quota be reduced.

[Anchor]
If that happens, wouldn't the first graders of high school be affected? There are also anxious voices like this.

[Juho]
Anyway, I think we chose the least risk direction among the various alternatives. The government will cooperate in that direction, so we will continue to explain various concerns.

[Anchor]
And tomorrow, the results of the AI digital textbook test will be released, and it is true that there are many questions and concerns because it is introduced that did not exist. Which part did you focus on?

[Juho]
It's actually customized for students during the screening. AI is an English subject, for example, correcting students' pronunciation. And isn't it too hard for teachers to correct what students wrote one by one? However, digital textbooks with AI functions are customized for students through AI functions, so we paid great attention in that regard. Also, I think products with good functions will have passed the verification this time. Also, if it's mathematics, it's not just a problem-solving ability, but you have to understand the concept and solve the problem. So, we don't keep repeating answers and wrong answers, but we're providing content that encourages children to continue to understand the concept properly, so we focused on those functions.

[Anchor]
Are digital and paper textbooks also combined?

[Juho]
Let's do it in parallel. Many parents are worried that children's analogies will disappear if they do it too digitally. The Ministry of Education has the same concern. So digital textbooks don't make children passively or addicted to them like this in short videos because they are learning tools. Rather, I would like to tell you that there is no such thing as digital addiction or excessive immersion that parents are worried about because it cultivates the ability to use active digital devices and contents. I'm telling you that you don't have to worry.

[Anchor]
It will take some time for the teachers to adjust as well.

[Juho]
So, in fact, 10,000 leading teachers have already been trained this year, and the product has been released now, so about 150,000 people are trained through it. You can experience making instructional plans with new digital textbooks and using them in class. So, when it is implemented in the field, we plan to support teachers to use it fully familiarly.

[Anchor]
However, some people seem to point out the limitations of this role, voices of criticism. What do you think about this?

[Juho]
So it's because you haven't used it yet and because you haven't seen it, and in fact, the government can't show you this during the development process. Because it's a verification process, we can't actually disclose it in advance. Since the test results will be announced tomorrow and released from early December, it will naturally dispel many concerns and open a new era of learning.

[Anchor]
I will watch AI digital textbook. I'll wrap it up here for today. I spoke with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Lee Ju-ho. Thank you very much.

[Juho]
Thank you.