The council criticized the state-administered university entrance exam system as “high cost, low efficiency,” suggesting alternatives including multiple exams and extending the validity of test scores.

Korean universities also invest more into attracting good students rather than educating them, resulting in students studying less than middle or high school students, it added, and professors focus more on writing theses than teaching.

The council suggested a dramatic reform of the university appraisal system based on research to strengthen undergraduate education.

It also urged a new model for evaluating universities and expansion of state financial assistance to universities with good results in undergraduate education. Another suggestion was the creation of international networks by allowing talented researchers to hold concurrent posts at domestic and foreign organizations.

President Lee stressed the public sector’s role in allowing underprivileged students who cannot afford private tutoring to receive a top-notch education, saying the government will not give up promoting excellence in education.

A presidential spokesman also said President Lee pledged to increase the country’s ratio of research and development budget to GDP to the world’s highest level.