By Lee Kyung-min
The government said Thursday it will retain the state-administered bar exam until 2021, ditching a plan to scrap it by 2017.
The policy flip-flop reflects continuing controversy over law schools, which were established to issue legal qualifications as a replacement to the exam.
"According to the law, the state bar exam is supposed to be abolished on Dec. 31, 2017," Vice Justice Minister Kim Joo-hyun said during a media briefing at the Government Complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. "However, more than 80 percent of citizens think that the current law school system should be improved, calling on the government to keep the exam."
Until 2009, passing the exam was the only way to obtain legal qualifications to become a judge, prosecutor or lawyer. But the government revised the law, setting out to abolish the exam and make graduating from law schools the only way to gain entry to the legal profession. There are 25 law schools nationwide which accept some 2,000 students per year.
But those who have prepared for the exam protested, saying they cannot afford tuition at the schools which is around 20 million won a year. There were also a series of corruption cases in law school graduates landing jobs using the influence of their wealthy and powerful parents.
The ministry announced the result of a survey of 1,000 citizens, in which 85.4 percent said the bar exam system should be retained.
"Controversy continues over the system, so we decided we needed more time to discuss it," Kim said.
However, both supporters and opponents of the decision denounced the ministry for extending the confusion for another four years.
The Korean Association of Law Schools, representing the 25 schools, criticized the move, saying the government caved in under pressure.
"The Park Geun-hye administration broke a promise it made to the public," it said in a statement. "The measure fails to provide an effective solution to a fundamental problem. The decision only aggravates the situation. We will seek legal action to abolish the exam as scheduled."
The association chairman and Ewha Womans University Law School Dean Oh Soo-geun said the measure only confuses all of those involved. "The law school system, which was adopted only seven years ago, is a form of education which should be kept stable."
Law school students also expressed regret, saying they would quit the schools. Those at Seoul National University's law school started boycotting their classes Thursday afternoon, and said they would all quit and send their opinion to the National Assembly Judiciary Committee.
"We chose to enter law school because we had faith in the government's decision. How are we supposed to focus on study when the government is questioning its own policy?" said one student.
The Seoul Bar Association, a supporter of the exam retention, welcomed the decision. "The decision shows that the ministry agreed with public consensus that the exam should be retained. The retention will enable competition between those who sit the exam and law school graduates, a healthy competition which will help both sides develop," the association said.
The government said Thursday it will retain the state-administered bar exam until 2021, ditching a plan to scrap it by 2017.
The policy flip-flop reflects continuing controversy over law schools, which were established to issue legal qualifications as a replacement to the exam.
"According to the law, the state bar exam is supposed to be abolished on Dec. 31, 2017," Vice Justice Minister Kim Joo-hyun said during a media briefing at the Government Complex in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. "However, more than 80 percent of citizens think that the current law school system should be improved, calling on the government to keep the exam."
Until 2009, passing the exam was the only way to obtain legal qualifications to become a judge, prosecutor or lawyer. But the government revised the law, setting out to abolish the exam and make graduating from law schools the only way to gain entry to the legal profession. There are 25 law schools nationwide which accept some 2,000 students per year.
But those who have prepared for the exam protested, saying they cannot afford tuition at the schools which is around 20 million won a year. There were also a series of corruption cases in law school graduates landing jobs using the influence of their wealthy and powerful parents.
The ministry announced the result of a survey of 1,000 citizens, in which 85.4 percent said the bar exam system should be retained.
"Controversy continues over the system, so we decided we needed more time to discuss it," Kim said.
However, both supporters and opponents of the decision denounced the ministry for extending the confusion for another four years.
The Korean Association of Law Schools, representing the 25 schools, criticized the move, saying the government caved in under pressure.
"The Park Geun-hye administration broke a promise it made to the public," it said in a statement. "The measure fails to provide an effective solution to a fundamental problem. The decision only aggravates the situation. We will seek legal action to abolish the exam as scheduled."
The association chairman and Ewha Womans University Law School Dean Oh Soo-geun said the measure only confuses all of those involved. "The law school system, which was adopted only seven years ago, is a form of education which should be kept stable."
Law school students also expressed regret, saying they would quit the schools. Those at Seoul National University's law school started boycotting their classes Thursday afternoon, and said they would all quit and send their opinion to the National Assembly Judiciary Committee.
"We chose to enter law school because we had faith in the government's decision. How are we supposed to focus on study when the government is questioning its own policy?" said one student.
The Seoul Bar Association, a supporter of the exam retention, welcomed the decision. "The decision shows that the ministry agreed with public consensus that the exam should be retained. The retention will enable competition between those who sit the exam and law school graduates, a healthy competition which will help both sides develop," the association said.
