The history of policy responses to shadow education in South Korea: implications for the next cycle of policy responses

Shadow education has been a challenge to public education in South Korea since the 1960s. Government has responded to shadow education with various types of policy responses. The assumption on the possibility of reducing the demand mechanism led the policy to eliminate competitive high stakes examinations and even prohibit participating in shadow education. However, the policy response with this assumption has not been effective. The policy responses to the problematic symptoms had been short period prescription, which were able to bring about immediate effects. South Korean experiences suggest that we need to formulate long-term policy frameworks for developing the quality of public education in responding to shadow education.