Lee Jin-sook Nominated as Minister of Education

On June 29, 2025, President Lee Jae-myung appointed Lee Jin-sook (65), the former president of Chungnam National University, as the Minister of Education. Lee graduated from Chungnam National University with a degree in architectural engineering, obtained her master's degree from the same university, and earned her Ph.D. from Tokyo Institute of Technology. She began her academic career at her alma mater in 1989, served as the dean of the College of Engineering, and made history in 2020 by becoming the first female president of Chungnam National University in its 68-year history, completing her term in February 2022. Currently, she remains a professor at Chungnam National University and serves as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology.

Lee's nomination as Minister of Education is particularly notable given her background in architectural engineering, which aligns with President Lee Jae-myung's key educational pledge to create 'Ten Seoul National Universities.' During the presidential campaign, Lee chaired the committee for this initiative, which aims to elevate the educational standards of nine regional national universities, including Chungnam National University, to match those of Seoul National University. The Ministry of Education estimates that this initiative could require an annual budget of up to 6 trillion won. Lee was the one who proposed this ambitious plan to the Democratic Party.

In a recent phone interview, Lee stated, "Creating ten Seoul National Universities is a significant attempt to transform Korea's educational system and achieve balanced regional development, leading to a societal transformation. However, there are many factors to consider, such as budget constraints, so we will approach this systematically."