An overhaul of South Korea's local education grant system is expected to sharply worsen the finances of education offices in the greater Seoul area, including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon.
Rep. Suh Beom-soo of the People Power Party released estimates on the 14th at a parliamentary audit held by the National Assembly's Education Committee, projecting revenue declines of 2.7 trillion won for Seoul, 7.4 trillion won for Gyeonggi Province and 1.6 trillion won for Incheon. Comparing the amounts each metropolitan and provincial education office needs for its 2027 expenditure budget with the amounts they expect to be allocated, Suh estimated the shortfalls that would leave programs unfunded at 1.4 trillion won for Seoul, 600 billion won for Incheon and 300 billion won for Gyeonggi Province. Jung Keun-sik, superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said in response that "since we have no choice but to budget for recurring costs such as personnel expenses and school operating costs, program spending that goes to students will inevitably be cut."
Suh also estimated that the Seoul education office would still fall 1.4 trillion won short even if it drew down both its fiscal stabilization fund and its education environment improvement fund. Jung said that "a considerable budget shortfall is in fact emerging," adding that "we have no clear plan for a shortage of funds at the end of the year, and it appears we are heading toward a situation where we will have to issue local bonds the year after next." On plans to issue local bonds this year, Jung said the office "will not issue local bonds this year," asking, "How are we supposed to run local education when every bit of budget we could receive is being drained into the future response fund?" On cheating on exams using smart glasses, he said the "Ministry of Education and the education office are continuing to discuss the matter," adding, "We will work out measures that can realistically address it."