Sejong council panel cuts 19.6 bln won career-trip budget; chief vows revival
In short
Sejong City Council's education safety committee has cut the entire 19.6 billion won budget for the Global Career Exploration Team, a career-trip programme for about 5,400 third-year middle school students that is a key pledge of Superintendent Kang Mi-ae. Kang apologised for what she called insufficient preparation, said she would negotiate with the council before the Oct 7 budget committee review, and would prepare for students to travel in 2027 if the funding is not restored. Committee members cited unproven effectiveness, safety management and the basis of the budget calculations.
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The education safety committee of the Sejong City Council has cut the entire 19.6 billion won allocation for the Global Career Exploration Team from the Sejong education office's second supplementary budget for this year. Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that the committee revised and passed the budget with the programme's funds removed, and Yonhap reported the same figure and the same committee action, which it placed at the 109th regular session's second meeting. The supplementary budget is due for review by the council's budget and accounts special committee on Oct 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
The programme is a key pledge of Superintendent Kang Mi-ae, offering about 5,400 third-year middle school students in Sejong visits to domestic and overseas industrial sites, research institutes and universities, Kyunghyang Shinmun reported. The original plan included long-distance trips to the United States and Europe. After consultations with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the office produced a revised plan that cut total cost from about 26 billion won to 19.6 billion won, limited destinations to domestic and Asian sites, unified student fees at 350,000 won per person regardless of route with full support for disadvantaged students, and set stays at four nights and five days abroad and three nights and four days domestically. [ 1 ]
Committee members questioned the opportunity cost of the large spending, how the programme differs from existing career education, the availability of peak-season flights and accommodation, the plan's concreteness, its safety management system and the basis of its budget figures. Lee Jae-jun said the council had not been briefed sufficiently on the business plan, safety measures and annual total costs, and asked for reconsideration in next year's main budget. Noh Jong-yong raised the need for a safety system matching a programme involving thousands of participants. Yoo In-ho criticised the basis for items such as brokerage fees and interpretation costs and argued that expanding support for the existing career education centre could be more effective. [ 1 ]
At a press conference at the education office on Oct 6, Kang said, “I did not prepare well, and I am reflecting on that myself.” She said she would consult the city council through the following day to try to give students the chance to explore careers overseas, and that if the budget failed to clear the committee she would prepare thoroughly so that students could go in 2027. Newsis headlined her position as a vow to “definitely revive” the project. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kang disputed the council's criticism that the overseas cost estimate was wrong, saying, “we did a cost calculation,” and that costs such as interpreters were added because the trips are for career education rather than experience. According to Kyunghyang Shinmun, the education office plans, if the budget is confirmed, to take applications by next month and to complete company selection and course assignment by December, with the first pilot round running from Jan 11 to Feb 3 next year. [ 1 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The cut concerns the signature pledge of Sejong's education superintendent and a programme the education office says was designed for about 5,400 students, so the outcome is a test of her dealings with the council she must work with on future budgets. The objections raised in committee — effectiveness, safety and cost justification — are likely to determine whether the programme is restored at the Oct 7 budget review or deferred to the 2027 main budget.
Key facts
- Sejong City Council's education safety committee cut the full 19.6 billion won budget for the Global Career Exploration Team from the Sejong education office's second supplementary budget for this year. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The programme was a key pledge of Superintendent Kang Mi-ae and was designed to offer about 5,400 third-year middle school students in Sejong visits to domestic and overseas industrial sites, research institutes and universities. [ 1 ]
- The education office's revised plan cut total project cost from about 26 billion won to 19.6 billion won, limited destinations to domestic and Asian sites, set student fees at 350,000 won per person and promised full support for disadvantaged students. [ 1 ]
- Committee members questioned the opportunity cost of the spending, how the programme differs from existing career education, whether peak-season flights and accommodation could be secured, and the plan's concreteness, safety system and budget calculations. [ 1 ]
- Kang said she would consult the city council through Oct 7 and would prepare thoroughly so students could travel in 2027 if the budget does not pass. [ 3 ]
- Kang said the office had carried out a cost calculation, disputing the council's criticism that the overseas cost estimate was flawed, and attributed higher costs to items such as interpreters. [ 3 ]
- The education office's supplementary budget is due for review by the council's budget and accounts special committee on Oct 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Sejong City Council's education safety committee removed the entire 19.6 billion won allocation for the Global Career Exploration Team from the education office's second supplementary budget. [ 1 , 3 ]
- The education office's supplementary budget is scheduled for review by the council's budget and accounts special committee on Oct 7. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Superintendent Kang Mi-ae expressed regret over the cut and said she intends to keep pushing the project. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the budget will be restored at the Oct 7 budget and accounts special committee review. Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that room remains to reinsert the funds, but says it is unclear whether the objections raised in committee can be resolved; no document states the outcome.
- Whether the programme's cost calculation was appropriate. Council members criticised the basis for items such as brokerage fees and interpretation costs, while Kang said the office carried out a proper cost calculation; the documents do not resolve the dispute.
- The exact date on which the education safety committee cut the budget. Kyunghyang Shinmun and Yonhap report the committee's action, with Yonhap placing it at the 109th regular session's second meeting, but neither gives the date it was taken.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that the Sejong City Council education safety committee revised and passed the supplementary budget with the entire 19.6 billion won allocation for the Global Career Exploration Team removed. [ 1 ]
- Newsis reports on the budget cut and headlines the Sejong superintendent's statement that she will “definitely revive” the project. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports Superintendent Kang Mi-ae's press conference at the education office, where she apologised for insufficient preparation, said she would consult the council through the next day, and disputed the council's criticism of the cost calculation. [ 3 ]