The digital textbook industry for artificial intelligence (AI) stated on the 13th that it is considering legal action regarding the amendment to the Primary and Secondary Education Act, which classifies AI textbooks as educational materials.
On that day, publishers of AI textbooks held a press conference at the Irum Center in Yeouido, Seoul, and said, “We have invested a substantial budget and hired hundreds of new staff in accordance with the government's development guidelines, but with the amendment passing through the National Assembly, the time and expense we have invested is now at risk of being wholly lost.”
Six AI textbook publishers participated in the conference, including Gureum, Bluegaha, I Hate Flying Bugs, Enuma, YBM, and Cheonjae Textbook & Cheonjae Education. They argue that the government should use AI textbooks in public education starting next year as planned.
Earlier, on Dec. 26, the amendment to the Primary and Secondary Education Act, led by the opposition party, the Democratic Party of Korea, passed the National Assembly's plenary session and defines AI textbooks as 'educational materials.' This allows schools to choose whether or not to adopt AI textbooks. Initially, the government intended to gradually increase mandatory usage of AI textbooks starting with English, math, and information subjects for 3rd and 4th graders in elementary school, 1st graders in middle school, and 1st graders in high school from March this year.
The publishers of AI textbooks stated, “If the status of AI textbooks is downgraded to educational materials, it will violate students' right to education and will create issues for the survival of the companies,” adding, “We have no choice but to consider legal remedies such as constitutional complaints, administrative lawsuits, and civil lawsuits.”
They also argued, “If AI textbooks are changed to educational materials, the Ministry of Education will be unable to maintain quality control, leading to degradation in quality and issues of personal information leakage.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education plans to demand reconsideration of this amendment at the cabinet meeting scheduled for the 21st. The government also intends to exercise its right to demand reconsideration (veto).