Professor Jo Byeok: "In the AI Era, Korean Education Will Change Greatly Within 5 Years" - KBS 1TV Broadcast on October 11

Episode 299 <Issues with the Teacher>

They say it is the AI era. Is it okay to continue educating like this?

"The past success formula is over... Korean education will undergo a massive upheaval within 5 years." In the AI era, what is the 'real education' needed in Korea?

Broadcast: Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 7:10 PM on KBS 1TV

In the 2026 academic year CSAT, applicants from GED and other backgrounds exceeded 22,000, marking the highest number in 31 years. As 'GPA resetting' emerges as an entrance exam strategy, education centered on correct answers and grades faces new questions in the face of the AI era. In an age where knowledge and information can be found and correct answers provided in just a few minutes, we examine what kind of education our children truly need.

In episode 299, Professor Jo Byeok is an education expert who has served as an advisor for various education policy committees, including the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea, and has received the Martin Luther King Jr. Educator Award and the University of Michigan's Best Professor Award. We look into the direction our education should take in the AI era and explore what 'real education' is needed for children.

A school to be abandoned whenever it is disadvantageous for entrance exams? Shaking public education

Pointing out the reality where even problems within schools are attempted to be solved through laws and systems, Professor Jo Byeok says, "A school is not a place to solve 'problem students,' but a place to solve the 'student's problems.'" He suggests that true teacher authority can be restored when educators stand at the center of the school again.

He cites 'entrance exam-centered education' as the fundamental cause. Professor Jo points out that Memorizing, Admission, and Dreamless education is 'MAD Education,' and emphasizes, "We must now transition from 'selection' that identifies the number one to 'growth' education that nurtures the different possibilities of each child."

AI era, has the 'education success formula' expired?

Professor Jo Byeok predicts, "With the emergence of AI, Korean education, which has not changed for decades, will change greatly within the next 5 years." Just as new paths were forged during every transition of industrialization and informatization by boldly investing in science, technology, and education, he argues that we must break away from existing success methods in the AI era as well.

In particular, Professor Jo says, "There is no chance of winning if we compete in finding knowledge and correct answers, which AI is best at," and argues that we must now teach not 'how much one knows' but 'what one can do with AI.' He warns that education that blocks the use of AI is anachronistic, stating, "The validity period of the past success formula has ended. Change has already begun, and we must prepare from now."

AI era, let's equip ourselves with 'what AI cannot do'

Professor Jo Byeok identifies character, wisdom, and the power to ask questions as core competencies in the AI era. He explains that character, in particular, is the 'competence' to create new value by cooperating with others.

Furthermore, he suggests the 'SALSA education method,' stating that insight to ask good questions and judge results is more important than accumulating knowledge. It is a method of sharing (Share) thoughts, asking (Ask) questions, listening (Listen), and then continuing the conversation by asking again (Share and Ask again). Professor Jo emphasizes that through this, children's interest and curiosity should be revived, and they should find the joy of learning by asking questions themselves.

In an unpredictable AI era where failure becomes a daily occurrence, what is the real competitiveness?

Professor Jo Byeok emphasizes that in an unpredictable AI era, 'resilience' to stand up again even after failing is important, saying, "Children should be raised like wildflowers, not like flowers in a greenhouse." He suggests that parents should also listen and empathize rather than leading the child, and become a reliable fence to which the child can always return when they fail.

He also says the education system must change. Rather than adding new things to existing education, he suggests boldly stripping things away and transitioning to a system where one can freely move between school, vocational education, university, and lifelong education, advising, "It is time to design a new educational framework suitable for the AI era."

KBS 1TV <Issues with the Teacher> Episode 299, 'They say it is the AI era. Is it okay to continue educating like this?' will be broadcast on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 7:10 PM. After the broadcast, it can be rewatched through the KBS website (www.kbs.co.kr), Wavve, and the 'KBS Culture' and 'KBS Documentary' YouTube channels.

(Photo provided = KBS 1TV 'Issues with the Teacher')

Read the original (Korean)