On July 7, 2026, South Korea’s Ministry of Education made a decisive move to address mounting concerns over the early academic pressure placed on the nation’s youngest learners. In a sweeping announcement, the Ministry unveiled a draft amendment to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Establishment, Operation, and Private Tutoring of Academies, aiming to clamp down on the controversial practice of using tests and evaluations to recruit or group infants and young children in private academies—commonly known as hagwons. The new rules are scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in how early education is regulated across the country.
The amendment, which follows a broader revision of the academy law passed in March 2026, leaves little room for ambiguity. According to coverage by Dongbang Ilbo, the Ministry’s new draft specifically prohibits an extensive range of assessments for children prior to or during the academy enrollment process. These include written, oral, interview, and practical tests, as well as problem-solving activities, assignments, and presentations—essentially any evaluation that could be used to sort or select children based on perceived ability.
But the crackdown doesn’t stop there. The Ministry’s approach is comprehensive, banning not only direct testing by academies but also the use of external test results and certificates. This means that academies can no longer require or leverage results from widely recognized English proficiency exams such as TOEIC, TOEFL, or Star Reading, nor can they demand the submission of scorecards, completion certificates, or similar documentation from outside institutions. The aim is clear: to put an end to the longstanding practice of English kindergartens and similar institutions conducting pre-enrollment level tests or demanding external English test scores—a system that, according to critics in the education sector, has subjected children as young as four to undue academic competition.
“We have seen cases where, after banning direct level tests for infants and young children, academies began to require external scores like TOEIC, TOEFL, or SR (Star Reading, a U.S. reading level diagnostic),” a Ministry of Education official told Dongbang Ilbo. “That’s why we have established these new criteria.” The official further noted that, should violations persist even after repeated fines, education offices will have the authority to take more severe measures, including up to one year of imprisonment or fines of up to 10 million KRW.
For many parents and child development experts, these changes are long overdue. The practice of subjecting preschoolers to competitive selection processes—sometimes dubbed the “4-year-old exam” or “7-year-old exam”—has sparked widespread criticism for being developmentally inappropriate. According to BBC and other international outlets, experts argue that such early academic sorting can create unnecessary stress, undermine self-esteem, and distort the natural pace of childhood learning. The new amendment, by targeting not just formal tests but any assessment that could be used for grouping or recruitment, seeks to dismantle the infrastructure that has enabled this competitive culture to flourish at such a young age.
Still, the Ministry’s approach is not without nuance. While the amendment draws a firm line against pre-enrollment tests and the use of external scores for recruitment or class grouping, it does allow for certain diagnostic assessments once a child is already enrolled in an academy or private tutoring program. These assessments, however, must be conducted through observation, conversation, or counseling—and only with prior consent from the child’s guardian. This exception, as explained by the Ministry, is intended to support educational activities and ensure that children’s learning needs are met in a supportive, non-competitive environment.
To ensure compliance, the amendment introduces a tiered system of penalties for violators. The first offense will result in a fine of 1 million KRW (roughly $750), the second in 2 million KRW, and the third in 3 million KRW. If an academy or individual persists in violating the rules even after these escalating fines, local education offices are empowered to impose far stiffer penalties, including imprisonment for up to a year or fines reaching 10 million KRW (about $7,500). These measures, the Ministry hopes, will serve as a robust deterrent against attempts to circumvent the law.
In addition to punitive measures, the Ministry is also introducing a reward system for whistleblowers. Anyone who reports a violation—such as an academy conducting a prohibited test or requiring external scores for admission—may be eligible for a reward, provided it falls within the government’s budget limits. This move is designed to encourage vigilance among parents and educators alike, creating a community-driven enforcement mechanism to uphold the new standards.
The push for reform comes against a backdrop of intense debate within South Korea’s education sector. For years, the country’s private education industry has been both lauded for its role in driving academic excellence and criticized for fueling a hyper-competitive environment that many believe starts far too early. English kindergartens, in particular, have been singled out for their use of level tests and external English exam scores to select and group young children, often in ways that mirror the admissions processes of elite universities. According to critics, this not only places undue pressure on children but also exacerbates educational inequality by giving an advantage to families who can afford expensive private tutoring and test preparation.
Proponents of the new amendment argue that it is a necessary step to protect the well-being of young children and to realign early education with principles of equity and developmentally appropriate practice. By eliminating the incentive to “teach to the test” or push children into academic competition before they even enter elementary school, the Ministry hopes to foster an environment where play, exploration, and social development are prioritized over rote learning and ranking.
However, some in the private education sector have voiced concerns about the potential impact on their businesses and on parental choice. They argue that diagnostic assessments can help tailor instruction to individual needs and that some parents actively seek out programs that offer rigorous academic preparation from an early age. The Ministry, for its part, maintains that its regulations strike a balance by allowing for post-enrollment assessments—provided they are conducted ethically and with parental consent—while drawing a firm line against any practice that could be used to sort or select children before they have even begun formal education.
As the October 1 enforcement date approaches, academies, parents, and educators across South Korea are bracing for a period of adjustment. The Ministry of Education has pledged to revise and promulgate the new enforcement decree in line with the amended academy law, and it remains to be seen how the private education sector will respond. What is clear, however, is that the government is taking a stand against early academic sorting and is determined to reshape the landscape of early childhood education for the next generation.
With these sweeping changes on the horizon, South Korea’s youngest learners may soon find themselves in classrooms where curiosity and joy take precedence over competition and test scores—a prospect that many parents, educators, and child development experts have long awaited.