Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin announced on September 14 that the ministry will assist over 1,200 students who experienced issues with the Uway Apply server during the college admissions process. A task force will be established, led by the Director of the High School and Lifelong Education Policy Bureau, in collaboration with the Korean Council for University Education to ensure no student is disadvantaged.
During a government Q&A session in the National Assembly, lawmaker Seo Beom-soo criticized the ministry's inadequate response to the server outage. Choi explained that a traffic disruption occurred around 5:50 PM on September 11, just 10 minutes before the application deadline. He stated that according to protocol, the deadline could be extended in 30-minute increments, and he ultimately authorized a one-hour extension.
Regarding the scope of assistance for affected students, Choi noted that even if students applied to alternative universities due to the outage, they would still be eligible for support if there is a digital record of their application. He mentioned that approximately 1,200 students have been identified so far, with final numbers to be confirmed after the reporting period ends.
Seo further questioned how fairness would be maintained between students who submitted applications before and after the extension, emphasizing the urgency as exams were imminent. Choi acknowledged the concerns but did not provide concrete solutions, reiterating that the task force would address the issues and that he would take responsibility if necessary.
Seo also highlighted the lack of awareness among ministry officials regarding student sentiments, asking if Choi was familiar with the popular student community 'Sumanhui,' which has 3.3 million members. Choi admitted he was not aware of it, leading Seo to assert that the ministry was disconnected from the voices of students. Choi responded that the relevant department monitors feedback and reports regularly, but he did not elaborate on specific details.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, there were calls to reconsider the reliance on private agencies for college application processing. Seo urged that the ministry should not delegate this responsibility to private firms. Choi acknowledged that there had been discussions about transitioning to a public system in 2005 and stated that the recent incident would prompt a reevaluation of that possibility.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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