Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education's audit of alleged preferential treatment for 'high-learning'...Ahn Min-seok, "Request for investigation if illegal acts are confirmed."

사진 확대

Suspicions of preferential treatment surrounding the artificial intelligence (AI)-based education platform "High Learning" project, which the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education invested KRW 38.5 billion, have been under fire at the parliamentary audit.

Amid suspicions that preferential treatment was provided to certain companies in the process of selecting business operators during Lim Tae-hee's tenure as the former superintendent of Gyeonggi-do, Ahn Min-seok, the superintendent of Gyeonggi-do, said he would request an investigation if the audit confirms violations.

At the National Assembly Education Committee's parliamentary audit of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education held on the 14th, Rep. Baek Seung-ah of the Democratic Party of Korea raised suspicions about the procedural adequacy of the high-learning project and the selection process of business operators, calling for a thorough investigation.

High-learning is an educational platform that supports teaching and learning activities of teachers and students using AI technology, and a total budget of 38.5 billion won has been invested over the past four years.

Representative Baek said, "The high-learning project promoted by former Superintendent Lim Tae-hee was carried out at a very rapid pace from project planning in October 2022 to design services, bidding, and contracts to pilot operations in September 2023."

In particular, he raised suspicions that there was a private dinner between KT and former Superintendent Lim, who were selected as the final operator.

Representative Baek pointed out, "There was a pre-private dinner between KT and former Superintendent Lim, who were selected as the final operators, and there is even a story that KT employees made a presentation (PT)," adding, "I suspect that the business plan and implementation plan were tailored to a specific company to introduce KT's services in a hurry."

In the course of the project, there was also a problem that the preliminary review procedure required for large-scale informatization projects was omitted. Representative Baek said, "For large-scale informatization projects such as high-learning, the establishment of an information strategy plan (ISP) that verifies the necessity and validity of the project must be preceded," adding, "However, the process of establishing an ISP and consulting with the Ministry of Public Administration and Security suddenly omitted in the process of implementing the project."

Kang Kyung-sook of the Cho Kuk Innovation Party also called for a thorough investigation into the business selection process. Representative Kang stressed, "The high-learning business officials have been accused of violating the anti-graft law and the conflict of interest prevention law of public officials to the high-ranking government official's criminal investigation office," adding, "The suspicion of preferential treatment raised in the process of selecting a business operator should be clarified."

In response, Gyeonggi-do Superintendent Ahn Min-seok explained that a related audit is currently underway and said he will request an investigative agency if it is found to be illegal. Superintendent Ahn replied, "The audit is currently underway because the transition committee has requested an audit," adding, "If the audit reveals illegality, we will request an investigation."