The wife of a nominee for Minister of Justice has been confirmed to be operating an unregistered educational facility that provides full-day instruction to children with developmental disabilities. The facility, named ‘A Academy,’ is not officially recognized by the education authorities, raising questions about its legal standing and educational accreditation.
Unregistered ‘Academy’ Operates Illegally
According to information from the office of Kim Min-jeon, a member of the People Power Party, the nominee’s wife, identified as Ms. Park, serves as the director of ‘A Academy.’ This institution was established by the ‘Korea Child Development Social Cooperation’ and initially opened in Yongin City, Gyeonggi Province, around 2019. In January 2022, it relocated to Jangan-gu, Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, which is within the jurisdiction of the nominee’s district.
Ms. Park has received substantial financial compensation from the cooperative. Between 2021 and July of the current year, she was paid approximately 237 million won in salary, including benefits. Additionally, from 2022 until last month, she received business income totaling 66.85 million won, averaging about 4.5 million won per month.
Despite using the name ‘Academy,’ the institution has not obtained official accreditation as a school from the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education. It is also not registered as an alternative education provider. Current laws, specifically the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, stipulate that only government-accredited schools are permitted to use the designation ‘Academy.’ ‘A Academy’ operates daily classes from 10 AM to 4 PM, mimicking the schedule of a formal school. Furthermore, it offers after-school programs starting at 5:30 PM, functioning much like a conventional educational institution.
Operating full-day classes without official government accreditation, while presenting itself as an academy, is a violation of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. A representative from the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education’s special education division stated that they had no prior knowledge of ‘A Academy.’
Facility Admits Lack of Accreditation
When contacted by reporters, a representative from ‘A Academy’ acknowledged the institution’s unofficial status. ‘Because we are not an accredited school, our academic achievements are not officially recognized, nor are we registered as an alternative education institution. We are simply referred to as ‘Academy’ for convenience,’ the representative explained. Currently, the facility serves 12 students who attend classes all day. The monthly tuition is approximately 2.3 million won. However, the representative noted that the government-supported after-school activity voucher (which provides 1 million won) can be utilized.
Family Ties to the Unregistered Facility
The situation is particularly noteworthy as the current administration, under President Lee Jae-myung, has been actively working to address issues related to unregistered and illegal educational facilities. In April, the government announced a plan to eradicate such institutions, followed by a nationwide survey conducted in collaboration with provincial and metropolitan offices of education. A system of mandatory fines for non-compliance has also been implemented.
Beyond Ms. Park, other family members of the Justice Minister nominee are also reportedly involved with the cooperative. The nominee’s eldest son, Kim Mo (26), is believed to be working at the same cooperative. Financial records indicate that he received a total of 85.8 million won in salary from the cooperative between May 2024 and July of this year. The nominee’s youngest daughter, Kim Mo (22), a university student, has also received over 7.7 million won in business income from the cooperative since last year until August.
Kim Min-jeon, the lawmaker, highlighted the apparent contradiction: ‘It is an ironic situation where the family of the nominee for Minister of Justice, who is tasked with eradicating illegal educational facilities, is themselves operating such a facility.’ She urged for immediate clarification of the family’s involvement. In response, the transition team for the nominee stated, ‘There are too many questions regarding the cooperative where the nominee’s wife works. We will provide a comprehensive response later.’
