A private tutoring center in Songpa, Seoul, had its business suspended after charging more than twice the lesson fees it registered with the education support office. A hagwon in Jung District, Daegu, which operated without checking instructors' records of sex crimes and child abuse, was fined 5.5 million won.
The Ministry of Education said it inspected 15,925 hagwons from early this year through on the 3rd, uncovering 2,394 violations and imposing 3,212 penalties. There were 58 cases referred for complaint/investigation, 24 registration cancellations, 69 lesson suspensions, and 707 fines (a total of 930 million won).
The government moved to investigate hagwon fees to stabilize hagwon-price inflation. Considering that lesson fees tend to rise somewhat in the first quarter of a new school term, the Ministry of Education and regional education offices conducted intensive guidance and inspections and joint on-site checks, and also announced measures to reduce private education costs.
The Ministry of Education also received 206 reports through online monitoring and new-term private education illegal-activity hotlines. Of these, it completed disposition measures for 116 cases.
The government will conduct joint inspections this month as well, targeting major-area hagwons such as those in Gangnam, Seoul, and Suseong, Daegu. If matters are serious, such as excessive collection of lesson fees and late-night lessons, it plans to respond strictly in cooperation with the Korean National Police Agency, the National Tax Service, and the Korea Fair Trade Commission.
In addition, through revisions to the Hagwon Act and its enforcement rules, it will raise report rewards and the penalty surcharge to strengthen private monitoring. It will pay up to 2 million won for reports of unregistered tutoring and up to 1 million won for reports of excessive lesson-fee collection and violations of lesson hours. It will also encourage parent participation through card news, school letters, and electronic billboards.