S.Korea education minister resigns after backlash over school age proposal

SEOUL: South Korea's education minister said on Monday that she would step down after a backlash over her proposal to lower the school entry age, presenting President Yoon Suk-yeol with another in a series of personnel setbacks that have ruined his approval rating.

Minister Park Soon-ae's resignation came two weeks after the ministry said it would bring forward school enrollment by one year to age five, starting as early as 2025, if it gained the consensus of public support. The plan was intended to expand the labour force by completing people's education earlier.

South Korean parents and teachers held a rally in front of the presidential office last week, calling for the plan to be dropped. The change would increase the difficulty in finding childcare, according to South Korean parents and teachers.

Park Soon-ae said that she was responsible for all the controversies, including the reorganisation of the school system.