Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) has established the nation’s first 'Korean Forum for the Development of the Admissions Officer System (Jeonbuk Region),' bringing together experts from education, the media, and academia to advance the Admissions Officer System in Korea.

JBNU held an inaugural ceremony and a series of keynote presentations and panel discussions on strategies to advance the Admissions Officer System at 10:00 AM on the 14th in the Jinsudang Meeting Room, and has begun full-scale activities.

Following the nationwide Admissions Officer System conference on the 13th, the forum — convened over two consecutive days to seek measures for the stable establishment and development of the Admissions Officer System — attracted some 50 participants, including officials from Jeonbuk Province and municipal and county governments, representatives from education support offices under the provincial Office of Education, and journalists. Participants joined the subcommittees, exchanged information at the inaugural ceremony, and made policy proposals.

The newly established Korean Forum for the Development of the Admissions Officer System (Jeonbuk Region) will have three subcommittees — Research, Policy, and Media. The first forum chair will be President Seo Geo-seok. Park Jong-min, Vice‑President of the Office of Admission at JBNU, will serve as chair of the Research Subcommittee. Shin Jeong-gyun, an education official at the Jeonbuk Provincial Office of Education, will chair the Policy Subcommittee. Lee Dae-seong, CEO of Daily Jeonbuk, will chair the Media Subcommittee. They will play central roles in exploring and proposing reasonable policy alternatives.

At the event, Jung Jong-cheol, Director of Future Talent Policy at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, delivered a presentation titled 'Talent Selection and Development Strategies for Regional Hub Universities.' He emphasized, 'With the outflow of regional talent and the sharp decline in school-age populations, universities are also contracting. It is time for regional hub universities to perform three critical roles and responsibilities: training and producing the high-level talent needed by local communities; serving as the source of knowledge and ideas that drive regional development; and creating the political, economic, and cultural value of the region.'

He also stated, 'For the advanced Admissions Officer System to take root stably, social consideration and inclusion are essential,' and added, 'I hope the Jeonbuk Regional Forum will spread widely to other regions.'

Participants then discussed and identified the causes and problems behind the negative perceptions surrounding the Admissions Officer System. They proposed that, while universities' commitment and efforts are important to establish the system's professionalism, fairness, and credibility, the government must above all take active steps to provide support.