Aug. 8 Legislative Report: Rep. Kim Eun-bae Proposes Revision to Elementary and Secondary Education Act; Strict Scrutiny of Education Ministry Budget

Proposal to Amend Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Full-scale Scrutiny of Education Budget

Rep. Kim Eun-bae of the Rebuilding Korea Party is playing a pivotal role in the review of the Ministry of Education’s 2024 budget settlement. Appointed as a member of the National Assembly Operation Committee during the first half of the 22nd National Assembly, Rep. Kim has laid the groundwork for legislative activities by handling overall assembly operations. In particular, as a member of the Education Committee, he has been actively involved in verifying education policies with a focus on the field. During this process, he rigorously examined the validity of the budget compiled by the Ministry of Education. By also serving as a member of the Budget and Accounts Committee, he is contributing to enhancing the efficiency of national fiscal expenditures. Analysts suggest that his expansion of activities across multiple key standing committees is intended to strengthen the legislature's check-and-balance function.

The most notable legislative achievement is the primary sponsorship of a partial amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Led by Rep. Kim, who serves as the floor leader for the Rebuilding Korea Party, the bill aims to clarify the legal basis for student human rights ordinances. Up to now, the boundary between protecting teachers' authority and guaranteeing students' human rights has been ambiguous in school settings, leading to持续的 conflicts. This amendment aims to fill these legal gaps and create an institutional foundation that allows both teachers and students to focus on educational activities in a stable environment. It is expected that by resolving the ambiguity of regulations, potential administrative friction can be preemptively blocked.

Expanding Legislative Scope to Local University Development and Civil Servant Union Law Revision

Innovation in the education sector is moving beyond simple budget securing to a comprehensive overhaul of the system. Rep. Kim Ju-eop of the Progressive Party is also accelerating education reform by continuously raising issues such as strengthening the protection of teachers' rights, preventing school violence, and guaranteeing parental involvement in education during Education Committee meetings. Specifically, Rep. Kim participated directly in the revision of the Special Act on Innovation of Local Universities and Support for Cultivation of Regional Talent to foster national and local universities. He is also serving on the Education Reform Special Subcommittee to discuss higher education system restructuring and is seeking fundamental improvements to the university admission system. Concretely, he proposed the College Admission Fairness Act and a partial amendment to the Higher Education Act, presenting practical alternatives to resolve educational disparities between regions.

Significant movements are also being detected in the labor administration sector. Rep. Lee Jong-rok of the Rebuilding Korea Party introduced a bill regarding the abolition of restrictions on the application of the Labor Union Act to civil servants, bringing the issue of guaranteeing basic labor rights in the public sector to the legal discussion table. As the floor leader of the Public Administration and Security Committee, his introduction of a revision to the Local Civil Servants Act is viewed in a similar context. He is also dedicating himself to resolving local issues, such as reflecting the budget for the construction of Seongnam City Hall's 3rd office building and promoting its relocation, while remaining active in various areas including the Budget and Accounts Committee and the Science, ICT, Broadcasting, and Communications Committee. These bills are expected to contribute to improving the quality of administrative services of local governments and promoting balanced regional development.

Strengthening Social Safety Nets and Intra-party Defection Patterns in Plenary Votes

Legislation regarding social welfare and safety to protect vulnerable populations is also gaining momentum. Rep. Oh Ji-sung of the People Power Party proposed a partial amendment to the Child Welfare Act last year, aimed at significantly strengthening penalties for child abuse and fundamentally blocking recidivism. After deep consideration of the crisis in the medical community, Rep. Yoon Kyung-hee of the People Power Party introduced the Act on the Safety and Rights Protection of Health and Medical and Research Personnel, leading the institutional preparation for preventing violence against medical personnel. Lawmakers are demonstrating their expertise to prepare effective alternatives to create a safe and transparent society. During the Education Committee's plenary session in September, Rep. Oh demanded a budget increase to reduce the number of students per classroom and criticized the Ministry of Education's policies, maintaining a strict stance during the budget review process.

During the plenary voting process, internal disagreements within the ruling party surfaced clearly. In the vote on the Partial Amendment to the Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources, processed on June 18, 2026, eight lawmakers from the People Power Party cast反对票. Reps. Kang Seung-kyu, Yoo Sang-beom, Kim Mi-ae, Shin Dong-wook, Kim Eun-hye, Park Soo-young, Kim Seung-soo, and Lee Chul-gyu broke from the party line. On the same day, during the alternative vote on the Partial Amendment to the Korea Rural Community Corporation and Farmland Management Fund Act, 10 members—Sung Il-jong, Lee Chul-gyu, Park Soo-young, Yoon Han-hong, Park Dae-chul, Kim Do-eup, Kang Min-kook, and Kang Sun-young—voted against despite the party's pro-party position. Furthermore, during the vote on the Partial Amendment to the Public Health Management Act on July 23, seven members—Kim Hee-jung, Kwak Kyu-taek, Park Su-min, Seo Il-joon, Seo Ji-young, Park Soo-young, and Park Dae-chul—participated in the opposition. The fact that a significant number of lawmakers voted against suggests that specific regional interests or philosophical differences regarding policies are directly influencing plenary decision-making. As the political landscape shifts to represent the diversified demands of voters, more frequent intra-party coordination is expected in future legislative processes.