The Board of Education will be launched with 19 members, with a shortage of two. The committee is tasked with deliberating on the country’s long-term educational policy, from the national curriculum to college admissions policies.

The Board of Education decides medium- to long-term educational goals and policies, and the Ministry of Education examines the details.

One of the committee’s first tasks is to evaluate and decide on the 2022 Revised Curriculum.

Former Ewha Womans University President Lee Bae-young will chair a committee appointed by the president.

The standing lawmakers are Kim Tae-joon, who is recommended by the ruling People’s Power Party, and Jung Dae-hwa, who is recommended by the largest opposition party, the Democratic Party.

Five members, including the chairman, were appointed by the president, and nine members, including Kim and Chung, were recommended by the National Assembly.

As education-related organizations did not reach an agreement on the right to recommend the remaining two members, the committee will begin work with two fewer members.

Affiliated agencies have been embroiled in disputes over their nomination rights, and the National Teacher Education Workers’ Union has filed an injunction to stop the nomination process.

Concerns have arisen following the commission’s launch, as Lee is considered a conservative historian. She participated in the publication of state-authored history textbooks under the administration of ousted President Park Geun-hye, but the project was heavily criticized for undermining political neutrality.

The institution issued a statement questioning the political neutrality of the committee chaired by Lee.

In a statement, the Korean Teachers’ Education Workers’ Union said Lee was unable to secure the position of director of the National Museum of Modern History of Korea in 2012 because of her “lack of a balanced view of history.” said.

Opposition lawmakers on the National Assembly Education Committee questioned Lee’s track record.

There are concerns that the committee’s small size will not allow it to adequately make major policy decisions. The commission, under which he places 31 civil servants, will be relatively small, despite the heavy task.

The school board’s budget for next year is also 8.8 billion won ($6.4 million), significantly less than other similar institutions.

Lim Eunbiel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)