South Korea's ban on commercial use of student records sparks criticism over 'armchair administration'

South Korea's Ministry of Education is bolstering public college admissions consulting services in response to a new law that prohibits the commercial use of high school student records. The ban, set to take effect soon, penalizes the acquisition, use, or trading of student records for business purposes with significant fines or imprisonment.

This legislation, intended to prevent the sale of official student records by admitted students to individuals or private academies, has inadvertently led major college admissions companies to discontinue their free online consulting services. Citing legal risks, these firms are pivoting to in-person consultations, which can cost hundreds of thousands of won per session. This shift effectively eliminates large-scale, affordable online guidance, benefiting smaller firms offering expensive face-to-face advice.

Critics argue that the government's response has been slow and insufficient. While concerns about the impact on private services were raised after the law's amendment in April, the Ministry of Education only recently announced an expansion of public services like the 'Adiga' college information portal and 'Hakkagyo Hamkke' career and academic planning consultations. However, these public services have limitations, including restricted usage and longer waiting times for results, leaving many students facing the upcoming college application deadlines feeling underserved.

The article criticizes the legislative process and the government's handling of the situation, labeling it "typical armchair administration." It suggests that the law, pushed through without sufficient analysis of its impact on stakeholders, is likely to widen the information gap based on economic status. This comes at a critical time, as the college entrance system is undergoing major reforms, including the elimination of elective subjects in the national college entrance exam and changes to the grading system for high school performance.