Minister of Education (South Korea)
South Korean government position
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The minister of education (Korean: 교육부 장관) of South Korea is the leader and chief executive of the Ministry of Education and a member of the State Council. The president nominates the minister of education upon the recommendation of the prime minister.[1] All minister nominees are required to undergo congressional confirmation hearings, though the consent of the National Assembly is only necessary for the Prime Minister.
StyleHis Excellency
Member ofCabinet of South Korea
Reports toPresident of South Korea
AppointerPresident of South Korea with approbation of the South Korea National Assembly
| Minister of Education | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of the Government of South Korea | |
| Ministry of Education | |
| Style | His Excellency |
| Member of | Cabinet of South Korea |
| Reports to | President of South Korea |
| Appointer | President of South Korea with approbation of the South Korea National Assembly |
In January 2001, the Ministry of Education was reformed into the Ministry of Education & Human Resources Development; in February 2008, it was merged with the Ministry of Science & Technology to form the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology.[2] In March 2013, the Ministry of Education, Science & Technology was split into the current Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning.[3]
In South Korea, the offices of the two deputy prime ministers are held by a member of the State Council. The minister of education and human resources development held the position of deputy prime minister from 2001 to 2008, during the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations.[4] From 2014 to 2025, during the Park Geun-hye, Moon Jae-in, and Yoon Suk Yeol administrations, the minister of education held the position of deputy prime minister.[4][5]
List
Minister of Education (1948–2001)
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office[6] | President | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 1 |  |
Ahn Ho-sang 안호상 安浩相 (1902–1999) |
3 August 1948 | 3 May 1950 | 1 year, 273 days | Syngman Rhee |
| 2 |  |
Baek Nak-jun 백낙준 白樂濬 (1895–1985) |
4 May 1950 | 29 October 1952 | 2 years, 178 days | |
| 3 |  |
Kim Beop-rin 김법린 金法麟 (1899–1964) |
30 October 1952 | 20 April 1954 | 1 year, 172 days | |
| 4 |  |
Lee Seon-geun 이선근 李瑄根 (1905–1983) |
21 April 1954 | 7 June 1956 | 2 years, 47 days | |
| 5 |  |
Choi Kyu-nam 최규남 崔奎南 (1898–1992) |
8 June 1956 | 26 November 1957 | 1 year, 171 days | |
| 6 |  |
Choi Jae-yu 최재유 崔在裕 (1906–1993) |
27 November 1957 | 27 April 1960 | 2 years, 152 days | |
| 7 |  |
Yi Pyong Do 이병도 李丙燾 (1896–1989) |
28 April 1960 | 22 August 1960 | 116 days | Yun Po-sun |
| 8 |  |
Oh Cheon-seok 오천석 吳天錫 (1901–1987) |
23 August 1960 | 2 May 1961 | 252 days | |
| 9 |  |
Yoon Taek-joong 윤택중 尹宅重 (1913–2002) |
3 May 1961 | 19 May 1961 | 16 days | |
| 10 |  |
Mun Hui-seok 문희석 文凞奭 (1922–1977) |
20 May 1961 | 18 January 1962 | 243 days | |
| 11 |  |
Kim Sang-hyup 김상협 金相浹 (1920–1995 |
19 January 1962 | 14 October 1962 | 268 days | |
| Park Chung Hee (acting) | ||||||
| 12 |  |
Park Il-kyung 박일경 朴一慶 (1920–1994) |
15 October 1962 | 15 March 1963 | 151 days | |
| 13 |  |
Lee Jong-woo 이종우 李鍾雨 (1903–1974) |
16 March 1963 | 16 December 1963 | 275 days | |
| 14 |  |
Kauh Kwang-man 고광만 高光萬 (1904–1994) |
17 December 1963 | 10 May 1964 | 145 days | Park Chung Hee |
| 15 |  |
Yoon Cheon-joo 윤천주 尹天柱 (1921–2001) |
11 May 1964 | 26 August 1965 | 1 year, 107 days | |
| 16 |  |
Gwon O-byeong 권오병 權五柄 (1918–1975) |
27 August 1965 | 25 September 1966 | 1 year, 29 days | |
| 17 |  |
Moon Hong-joo 문홍주 文鴻柱 (1918–2008) |
26 September 1966 | 20 May 1968 | 1 year, 237 days | |
| 18 | |
Gwon O-byeong 권오병 權五柄 (1918–1975) |
21 May 1968 | 10 April 1969 | 324 days | |
| 19 |  |
Hong Jong-cheol 홍종철 洪鍾哲 (1924–1974) |
11 April 1969 | 3 June 1971 | 2 years, 53 days | |
| 20 |  |
Min Kwan-shik 민관식 閔寬植 (1918–2006) |
4 June 1971 | 17 September 1974 | 3 years, 105 days | |
| 21 |  |
Ryu Ki-chun 유기춘 柳基春 (1922–1982) |
18 September 1974 | 3 December 1976 | 2 years, 76 days | |
| 22 |  |
Hwang San-deok 황산덕 黃山德 (1917–1989) |
4 December 1976 | 19 December 1977 | 1 year, 15 days | |
| 23 |  |
Park Chan-hyun 박찬현 朴瓚鉉 (1917–1991) |
20 December 1977 | 13 December 1979 | 1 year, 358 days | |
| 24 |  |
Kim Ok-gil 김옥길 金玉吉 (1921–1990) |
14 December 1979 | 21 May 1980 | 159 days | Choi Kyu-hah |
| 25 |  |
Lee Kyu-ho 이규호 李奎浩 (1926–2002) |
22 May 1980 | 14 October 1983 | 3 years, 145 days | |
| Chun Doo-hwan | ||||||
| 26 |  |
Kwon Lee-hyuk 권이혁 權彛赫 (1923–2020) |
15 October 1983 | 18 February 1985 | 1 year, 126 days | |
| 27 |  |
Sohn Jae-suk 손제석 孫製錫 (1931–2016) |
19 February 1985 | 13 July 1987 | 2 years, 144 days | |
| 28 | Suhr Myong-won 서명원 徐明源 (1919–2006) |
14 July 1987 | 24 February 1988 | 225 days | ||
| 29 |  |
Kim Young-shik 김영식 金永植 (1930–2022) |
25 February 1988 | 4 December 1988 | 283 days | Roh Tae-woo |
| 30 |  |
Chung Won-shik 정원식 鄭元植 (1928–2020) |
5 December 1988 | 26 December 1990 | 2 years, 21 days | |
| 31 |  |
Yoon Hyeong-seob 윤형섭 尹亨燮 (born 1933) |
27 December 1990 | 22 January 1992 | 1 year, 26 days | |
| 32 |  |
Jo Wan-kyu 조완규 趙完圭 (born 1928) |
23 January 1992 | 25 February 1993 | 1 year, 33 days | |
| 33 |  |
Oh Byung-mun 오병문 吳炳文 (1928–2010) |
26 February 1993 | 21 December 1993 | 298 days | Kim Young-sam |
| 34 |  |
Kim Sook-hee 김숙희 金淑喜 (born 1937) |
22 December 1993 | 11 May 1995 | 1 year, 140 days | |
| 35 |  |
Park Young-sik 박영식 朴煐植 (1934–2013) |
16 May 1995 | 20 December 1995 | 218 days | |
| 36 |  |
An Byung-young 안병영 安秉永 (born 1941) |
21 December 1995 | 5 August 1997 | 1 year, 227 days | |
| 37 |  |
Lee Myung-hyun 이명현 李明賢 (born 1942) |
6 August 1997 | 2 March 1998 | 208 days | |
| 38 |  |
Lee Hae-chan 이해찬 李海瓚 (1952–2026) |
3 March 1998 | 23 May 1999 | 1 year, 81 days | Kim Dae-jung |
| 39 |  |
Kim Deok-jung 김덕중 金德中 (1934–2025) |
24 May 1999 | 13 January 2000 | 234 days | |
| 40 | Moon Yong-lin 문용린 文龍鱗 (1947–2023) |
14 January 2000 | 5 August 2000 | 204 days | ||
| 41 | Song Ja 송자 宋梓 (1936–2019) |
7 August 2000 | 29 August 2000 | 22 days | ||
| 42 | Lee Don-hee 이돈희 李敦熙 (born 1937) |
31 August 2000 | 28 January 2001 | 150 days | ||
Minister of Education & Human Resources Development (2001–2008)
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | President | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 43 |  |
Han Wan-sang 한완상 韓完相 (born 1936) |
29 January 2001 | 28 January 2002 | 364 days | Kim Dae-jung |
| 44 | Lee Sang-joo 이상주 李相周 (1937–2023) |
29 January 2002 | 5 March 2003 | 1 year, 35 days | ||
| 45 | Yoon Deok-hong 윤덕홍 尹德弘 (born 1947) |
7 March 2003 | 23 December 2003 | 291 days | Roh Moo-hyun | |
| 46 | An Byung-young 안병영 安秉永 (born 1941) |
24 December 2003 | 4 January 2005 | 1 year, 11 days | ||
| 47 | Lee Ki-jun 이기준 李基俊 (1938–2025) |
5 January 2005 | 10 January 2005 | 5 days | ||
| 48 |  |
Kim Jin-pyo 김진표 金振杓 (born 1947) |
28 January 2005 | 20 July 2006 | 1 year, 173 days | |
| 49 |  |
Kim Byong-joon 김병준 金秉準 (born 1954) |
21 July 2006 | 8 August 2006 | 18 days | |
| 50 | Kim Shin-il 김신일 金信一 (born 1941) |
9 August 2006 | 28 February 2008 | 1 year, 203 days | ||
Minister of Education, Science, and Technology (2008–2013)
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | President | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 51 | Kim Do-yeon 김도연 金道然 (born 1952) |
29 February 2008 | 5 August 2008 | 2 years, 24 days | Lee Myung-bak | |
| 52 | Ahn Byong-man 안병만 安秉萬 (1941–2022) |
6 August 2008 | 30 August 2010 | 2 years, 24 days | ||
| 53 |  |
Lee Ju-ho 이주호 李周浩 (born 1961) |
30 August 2010 | 10 March 2013 | 2 years, 192 days | |
| 54 | Seo Nam-soo 서남수 徐南洙 (born 1952) |
11 March 2013 | 22 March 2013 | 164 days | Park Geun-hye | |
Minister of Education (2013–present)
| No. | Portrait | Name | Term of office | President | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||
| 55 | Seo Nam-soo 서남수 徐南洙 (born 1952) |
23 March 2013 | 7 August 2014 | 1 year, 137 days | Park Geun-hye | |
| 56 | _(cropped).jpg) |
Hwang Woo-yea 황우여 黃祐呂 (born 1947) |
8 August 2014 | 12 January 2016 | 1 year, 157 days | |
| 57 | Lee Joon-sik 이준식 李俊植 (born 1952) |
13 January 2016 | 4 July 2017 | 1 year, 172 days | ||
| 58 | .jpg) |
Kim Sang-gon 김상곤 金相坤 (born 1949) |
5 July 2017 | 2 October 2018 | 1 year, 89 days | Moon Jae-in |
| 59 |  |
Yoo Eun-hae 유은혜 兪銀惠 (born 1962) |
2 October 2018 | 9 May 2022 | 3 years, 219 days | |
| 60 |  |
Park Soon-ae 박순애 朴順愛 (born 1965) |
5 July 2022 | 8 August 2022 | 34 days | Yoon Suk-yeol |
| 61 | |
Lee Ju-ho 이주호 李周浩 (born 1961) |
7 November 2022 | 29 July 2025 | 2 years, 264 days | |
| 62 |  |
Choi Kyo-jin 최교진 崔敎振 (born 1953) |
11 September 2025 | incumbent | 288 days | Lee Jae Myung |
