Parents condemn acting president's decision, urge to revoke AI textbooks

Teachers learn about how to run smart classrooms at the 22nd South Korean Education Expo at Coex in Gangnam, Seoul, Jan. 15. (Yonhap)
Teachers learn about how to run smart classrooms at the 22nd South Korean Education Expo at Coex in Gangnam, Seoul, Jan. 15. (Yonhap)

Confusion at schools is growing as to what scenario to prepare for after South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok vetoed a bill to redefine artificial intelligence digital textbooks as "educational materials" rather than "textbooks."

During a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Choi justified the decision by emphasizing the importance of AI-powered textbooks in promoting personalized learning experiences. He also expressed concerns that categorizing these textbooks as educational materials could undermine equal educational opportunities, a value enshrined in the Constitution.

"This veto is an opportunity for the government and National Assembly to revisit the proposal and explore more effective alternatives," said Choi.

Now the bill is being sent back to the National Assembly. With the ruling People Power Party and the government aligned, the bill is unlikely to secure the required two-thirds majority to override the veto. If the bill is rejected, AI digital textbooks will retain their status as official textbooks.

Despite maintaining their status as textbooks, Choi announced that this year AI textbooks will only be introduced in schools that volunteer to adopt them. Support measures to prevent a literacy decline will also be implemented as part of a supplementary plan.

The main opposition party immediately condemned the veto and announced plans to file an injunction and constitutional appeal against it.

The Democratic Party of Korea accused Choi of "trampling on the principle of separation of powers" and engaging in "arrogant overreach."

Kang Yoo-jung, spokesperson for the Democratic Party, said, “Choi has already exercised his veto power six times. It seems he has decided to act as the ‘acting veto president,’ not as the acting president.”

In December, the National Assembly passed an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to define AI-generated digital textbooks as educational resources.

Under the revised act, textbooks are limited to printed books and e-books, while AI-generated learning content is categorized as supplementary class materials.

Some parents condemned Choi's revocation, saying putting the AI textbook implementation on hold was "the best thing that happened after the martial law declaration."

A mother of three elementary school children told The Korea Herald that someone should stop the implementation of AI digital textbooks in classrooms. "I am too worried about my children being dependent on all sorts of electronic devices such as smartphones, computers and TV. I saw the opposition party passing the revised act and all the mothers around me welcomed it," she said.

"I don't understand why the government is pushing this when all the education sectors and parents are against it. Especially at a time when the presidency has been suspended," she noted.

Teachers are also voicing concerns.

"We only have a little more than a month before school opens in March," a 34-year-old elementary school teacher said. "As laws keep changing and uncertainty in politics is influencing education, teachers are just confused and we do not know what to prepare for."