Budget Committee Debates Education Funding Amid Concerns Over Allocation

On November 11, during the eighth session of the 439th National Assembly's Budget Committee, lawmakers and government officials engaged in a heated debate over the allocation of the proposed 'Future Response Fund' and the transfer of budget responsibilities from other ministries to the Ministry of Education.

Key issues included the transfer of funding for the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Korea Polytechnic University from their respective ministries to the education budget, the renaming and increase of the prestigious scholarship to 'Presidential Scholarship,' and the controversy surrounding the uneven support for the 'Creating 10 Seoul National Universities' initiative.

Rep. Lee In-sun, a member of the ruling People Power Party and former head of the Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), scrutinized the budget allocation for the Future Response Fund's education talent account, stating, "Over 800 billion won for the operational support of KAIST and three other science and technology institutes has been transferred to the education talent account."

He further criticized the transfer of national university hospital funding to the Ministry of Health and Welfare while questioning why the Ministry of Education is absorbing the operational support for the science institutes. "If the Ministry of Education is taking over the science institutes, it should manage them directly. Is it appropriate for the Ministry of Education to also take on the operational support for Korea Polytechnic University, which falls under the Ministry of Employment and Labor?" he asked.

Concerns were also raised regarding the allocation of the national scholarship program. Lee pointed out that the previous scholarship program under the Ministry of Science and ICT was separated and rebranded as the 'Presidential Scholarship,' with an increase of approximately 11.6 billion won. He expressed skepticism, saying, "While I support talent development, there are doubts about whether this is merely a publicity stunt by the ministry to attach the President's name for visibility." He warned that if the fund is allocated to ongoing or populist projects, it would hinder future adjustments.

Additionally, the selection process for the 'Creating 10 Seoul National Universities' initiative faced scrutiny. Lee noted that despite the efforts of nine regional national universities, only three, including Chonnam National University, were prioritized without clear evaluation criteria, leading to perceptions of regional bias. He questioned how the dissatisfaction of universities like Jeonbuk National University and Kyungpook National University, which were not selected, would be addressed.

In response, Minister of Education Cho Kyoo-jin addressed concerns regarding local education financial grants and the balance of higher education development. He explained that the proposed 79 trillion won budget reform, which applies a 20.79% linkage method excluding excess tax revenue from the semiconductor boom, does not represent a reduction. "I understand the financial difficulties faced by education superintendents, but the new formula is sufficient," he clarified.

Regarding the 'Creating 10 Seoul National Universities' initiative, Cho stated, "The three regions were prioritized based on comprehensive considerations of regional industry and living conditions." He acknowledged that while evaluation scores could not be quantified uniformly, the decision was made through practical assessments by nine ministries. He added that universities not selected would receive 500 billion won each from the university innovation fund to support their autonomous development and that future consulting would address any shortcomings.