Rewards for Reporting Illegal Hagwon Surge
By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Cash rewards paid to those reporting illegal practices at private education institutes to the authorities topped 100 million won ($83,000) since the program was introduced early last month.
The Education Ministry said Wednesday more than 2,050 reports were made, and of them, 311 were given cash rewards, which can be as high as 2 million won per case.
So far, the ministry has worked together with police and provincial education offices to crack down on hagwon.
For instance, they detected dozens operating without registration in a bid to evade tax, and some institutes in southern Seoul were caught overcharging.
"We will work harder to root out these practices," a ministry official said. The government has encouraged hagwon owners to publicize their tuition fees, but few have stepped up to the plate.
A bill mandating publication is now pending at the National Assembly.