Yoo Won-jun, chair of the Korea Association of Private University Professors, criticized the government for excessive interference and "severe state control" over private universities. He pointed out that while private institutions account for 85% of the country's higher education, the government has focused on regulation rather than fostering growth, adhering to the principle of cost-sharing for the past 80 years.
During a conference held on August 20 at the National Assembly, Yoo addressed the current state of government higher education policies. He stated, "The most significant characteristic of our higher education system is its reliance on private universities," noting that 85% of universities and about 80% of students are enrolled in private institutions, making South Korea unique globally. He emphasized that without resolving issues facing private universities, the broader challenges in higher education will remain unsolvable.
Yoo specifically criticized the government's irresponsible oversight and excessive regulations. He remarked, "While South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan share a high proportion of private universities, our government’s control is more severe than in Japan or Taiwan." He added, "Under the guise of the cost-sharing principle, the government has interfered with tuition increases for 15 years, even declaring entrance fees illegal during the Moon Jae-in administration."
He also highlighted the distorted university structure in the Seoul metropolitan area as an example of government neglect in higher education. "More than half of the population resides in the capital region, yet national universities make up only 2.4% of the total, with 97.6% being private institutions," he said, pointing out that Gyeonggi Province, with a population of 14 million, has only one national university, Hankyong National University. He stressed that it is a clear contradiction for the state to impose various regulations while failing to fulfill its responsibility to expand higher education infrastructure.
Yoo raised concerns about the chaotic legal framework surrounding universities in South Korea. He noted, "In Japan and Taiwan, there are only 2 to 3 laws related to university establishment, with 3 to 5 types of universities. In contrast, we have 17 laws and 27 types of universities, making it so complex that even officials at the Ministry of Education do not know how many universities exist in our country."
He called for groundbreaking reforms to ensure the survival of private universities and the advancement of higher education. Key proposals included dismantling the hierarchy based on private educational institutions, ensuring transparent disclosure of university information, and providing substantial operational support based on university evaluations.
Finally, Yoo criticized the recently proposed policy for free national university tuition, stating it was introduced without sufficient review and would harm private universities without benefiting national institutions. He urged the government to reduce unnecessary short-term project funding and shift to direct financial support that allows universities to autonomously allocate resources where they are most needed.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.