South Korea’s National Assembly has officially revoked the legal status of AI-powered digital textbooks, marking a dramatic reversal of a major education reform initiative under the previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration.
As reported by The Korea Herald, lawmakers passed a bill on Monday that redefines textbooks as printed books or e-books—explicitly excluding AI-based learning tools. The change takes effect immediately, stripping AI textbooks of their designation as official teaching materials and cutting off public funding for their use in schools.
The AI textbooks, designed to provide personalized instruction using intelligent software, were piloted earlier this year in select English, math, and computer science classes. The government invested more than 533 billion won ($385 million) in the project in 2024 alone, with over 800 billion won estimated to have been poured into development overall.
However, criticism from educators and parents about the rushed implementation led the Education Ministry to shift from a nationwide mandate to a voluntary adoption model. As of now, only about 30 percent of schools have integrated AI textbooks into classrooms.
With the new legislation, even those schools are left in limbo. “Unless the textbooks retain their legal status, we won’t be able to receive the necessary funding,” a high school teacher told The Korea Herald. “It’s now almost impossible to use them in class.”
The publishing industry, which hired researchers and engineers in anticipation of mass adoption, is warning of mass layoffs. Fourteen publishing firms have staged protests outside the National Assembly, and several companies have filed legal action against the Education Ministry.
While the ministry has pledged to support schools during the transition, no clear roadmap has been announced. The move raises deeper concerns about policy instability and the long-term future of AI in South Korean classrooms.
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