Main Gate of Seoul National University (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — President Lee Jae-myung’s signature higher-education pledge to create “10 new Seoul National Universities” has been adopted as an official state agenda item, setting the stage for full-scale implementation.
The initiative, part of the administration’s effort to tackle longstanding regional disparities in education quality, aims to invest heavily in regional universities so they can match the per-student spending level of Seoul National University — roughly 60 million won ($44,000) annually.
The plan was included in the National Policy Planning Committee’s five-year governance blueprint released on August 13, one of five education-related national tasks.
Other priorities include fostering regional talent through educational innovation, expanding artificial intelligence (AI) training for the digital era, strengthening civic education, closing educational gaps through stronger public schooling, and overhauling school governance.
While the government frames the initiative as a cornerstone of balanced national development, resistance is brewing among private universities. Many fear scarce higher-education funding will be redirected primarily to designated flagship national universities.
Yang Oh-bong, head of the Korean Council for University Education, has urged the administration to ensure that budget allocations also benefit general private institutions.
The committee also signaled plans to restructure the Regional Innovation for Shared Education (RISE) program, allowing for adjustments while retaining its core framework.
On the AI front, the government intends to strengthen AI-based learning across all grade levels, introducing public platforms for diverse online courseware alongside newly authorized AI digital textbooks.
The “10 new SNU” initiative — a centerpiece of Lee’s 2022 presidential campaign — is widely seen as both ambitious and politically sensitive, with its success hinging on navigating budget constraints and winning buy-in from stakeholders across the higher-education sector.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
