Former President of Jeonbuk National University, a Seoul National University Graduate, Joins Support for Educational Reform: “To End Entrance Exam Hell and Achieve Balanced National Development”

Former and current presidents of major national universities across South Korea, along with metropolitan and provincial superintendents of education, have issued a joint statement on May 20 expressing their support for the proposed policy of establishing "Ten Seoul National Universities" as a core education pledge for the next administration.

In their statement, the participants emphasized that this policy offers a strategic solution to South Korea's deep-rooted structural challenges, including the overconcentration in the capital region, the bottleneck in university admissions, and the risk of regional extinction.

The initiative draws momentum from bipartisan education reform proposals, including Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung’s “Ten Seoul National Universities” pledge, People Power Party candidate Kim Moon-soo’s joint degree proposal, and Labor Party candidate Kwon Young-guk’s call to strengthen regional flagship national universities. These initiatives underline the importance of easing university admission pressure and promoting balanced regional development through the cultivation of strong regional universities.

However, the statement's release has not been without controversy. According to insiders, some within Seoul National University have expressed concern, questioning the rationale behind focusing solely on regional universities and feeling that the institution itself was being unfairly targeted.

Nevertheless, the participation of former Jeonbuk National University President Kim Dong-won—a Seoul National University alumnus—stands out as a significant gesture. Along with other SNU graduates such as Chungbuk National University President Ko Chang-seop and Busan Superintendent of Education Kim Seok-joon, his support reflects a growing consensus even among SNU alumni in favor of structural change and regional empowerment. Their voices lend additional weight and credibility to the policy’s underlying goals.

The joint statement goes beyond mere support for regional universities. It proposes detailed implementation strategies such as the establishment of joint degree programs and cooperative systems between Seoul National University and regional institutions, adopting a model akin to the University of California system, fostering research specialization by region, equal reduction of university quotas, expanded faculty and student exchanges, and creating a "One Province, One National University" framework.

The signatories stated that this initiative could serve as a turning point to widen the narrow path of college entrance, mitigate the capital region’s “black hole effect,” prevent regional decline, and normalize creativity-focused primary and secondary education. They called on the next administration to act boldly and develop the policy with ambition and precision.

Among the supporters were Yang Oh-bong, President of Jeonbuk National University, and Seo Geo-seok, Superintendent of Education for North Jeolla Province.