South Korean educators protest local education grant reforms

Civil society groups, educators, and regional education officials in South Korea are protesting a government proposal to reform the local education financial grant system. The government plans to replace the current method—which automatically allocates 20.79% of national taxes to education—with a new formula based on economic growth rates and changes in the school-age population.

In Gyeonggi Province, nine organizations, including the Gyeonggi branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, held a press conference demanding that the Gyeonggi Provincial Council adopt a resolution against the reform. They argue that relying solely on declining student numbers ignores the high costs of building new schools in developing areas and maintaining facilities in aging districts.

Simultaneously, Ulsan Superintendent Cho Yong-sik visited the National Assembly to urge lawmakers to block the reform. He warned that the change could lead to significant budget gaps, noting that Ulsan expects a potential 28.3% decrease in its ordinary grant next year. Critics argue the reform lacks sufficient consultation with local education authorities and threatens the stability of public education and local autonomy.