South Korea unveils plans to curb soaring private education spending

Seoul – South Korea’s government unveiled plans on Monday aimed at curbing the country’s burgeoning spending on private education, which has been blamed for being a major factor behind the country’s declining fertility rate.

The move comes as South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol this month criticized college entrance tests that incorporate questions not in the curriculum at public schools, including some that have been dubbed “killer questions” due to their complexity.

“We will cut the vicious cycle of killer questions in exams which leads to excessive competition among students and parents in private education,” education minister Lee Ju-ho told a briefing.