人物專訪

In mid-February 2025, a delegation of academics and education policy experts from South Korea’s Kyungpook National University (KNU), led by Professor Junhyeong Park, concluded their visit to Hong Kong. unwire.hk was privileged to be invited to plan parts of their itinerary and serve as their interview and reporting partner. Alongside Professor Park, who specializes in artificial intelligence and future education at KNU’s Teacher’s College, the delegation included two academic researchers—Hyunjin Park, focused on early childhood digital education, and Jinsan Ahn, an expert in computer programming languages; two practicing master teachers—Miae Jeong, specializing in music education, and Woongmin Jo, dedicated to engineering and STEM education; and two outstanding students from the College of Education – JunYeol Jeong and YeonWoo Yu. This visit built upon a conversation unwire.hk began with Professor Park at last year’s EDUtech Asia conference in Singapore, deepening the discussion from initial exploration to profound reflection. 

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▲The Korean Education Delegation visited the unwire.hk office for an in-depth dialogue on AI and digital education reform

Globally, education faces three pressing challenges: First, the century-old model of “uniform textbooks, uniform exams, uniform goals” overlooks the diverse conditions, needs, abilities, and aspirations of students, widening the education gap. Second, a severe shortage of teachers coupled with immense workloads strains the system. Third, highly competitive social, economic, and examination systems place unbearable pressure on students, transforming latent harm into a tangible crisis. This entrenched educational framework is notoriously difficult to change—though the deepening issues are widely acknowledged, solutions have remained elusive. That is, until the advent of generative AI offered a glimmer of hope.

Since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November 2022, generative AI has swept across industries worldwide with its disruptive potential, and education is no exception. Seen as a key to breaking through systemic barriers, it also raises uncertainties due to its capacity to radically reshape teaching, learning, and academic assessment. This duality has spurred nations to explore AI in education, with South Korea emerging as a frontrunner. In early 2023, the South Korean Ministry of Education announced a nationwide AI and digital education reform, with the “AI Digital Textbook” (AIDT) as its cornerstone. According to the AI Digital Textbook Development Guidelines released by the Korea Education and Research Information Service (KERIS) in August 2023, AIDT is defined as “a digital textbook integrating diverse learning resources and support functions to deliver a personalized learning experience.” It aims to narrow the education gap, progressively revolutionize traditional teaching, and serve as a powerful assistant to teachers. The guidelines stress strict oversight of data security, clarifying that AIDT is not intended to replace teachers but to elevate the frontiers of education. Its first phase will roll out in March 2025, targeting third- and fourth-grade elementary students and first- and second-year middle schoolers in English, mathematics, and computer science courses.

AI is reshaping global education, injecting possibilities for personalized learning. South Korea’s reform is not just a national milestone but a development worthy of global attention. What are AIDT’s goals? How is it progressing? How have teachers and parents responded? What challenges do these pioneers face? With these questions in mind, we invited Professor Park’s team to unwire’s office for an in-depth dialogue.

AIDT: A Hopeful Project for Personalized Learning

AIDT’s vision is both clear and ambitious: first, to eliminate the education gap and achieve true personalized learning; second, to break the current constraints on teachers and empower educators.

Professor Park believes that even before AIDT’s introduction, AI and digital technologies had already made education more inclusive. “Today, Korean students can enroll in online courses from top global institutions like Harvard and Stanford via the internet and AI translation tools,” he remarked. “What was once exclusive to economically privileged families is now accessible to more students thanks to technology.” He frequently highlighted “AI Digital Convergence Education,” emphasizing how a learning model of “anytime, anywhere, any language” has transcended knowledge boundaries, significantly lowering the barriers and costs of education. AIDT’s launch, he argued, is a critical step for South Korea to further harness AI and propel education into a new era. “Every student has a unique background, ability, and dream,” he explained. “A learning journey that fulfills individual goals should have distinct starting points, content, support, and assessment standards. Yet, since the advent of universal education in the 19th century, uniform curricula and standards have taken us further from this ideal. AIDT seeks to reverse that, enabling each student to acquire the most relevant knowledge and skills at their own pace.”

Professor Park acknowledged that even a technology as powerful as AI requires a gradual approach to realize personalized learning. “Initially, teachers can use AIDT’s interface to provide real-time guidance,” he said. “As data accumulates, AI will generate increasingly personalized content. Ultimately, we aim to integrate students’ career aspirations and personality traits to create a fully tailored learning blueprint.” The team estimates this vision will take a decade to unfold step-by-step, with AIDT eventually becoming each student’s dedicated learning companion and a super-assistant to teachers.

▲Professor Park believes that merely achieving a learning model of ‘anytime, anywhere, any language,’ data technology has already enabled knowledge to transcend borders, significantly lowering the barriers and costs of learning. The emergence of AI, meanwhile, offers the potential to realize truly personalized learning

The team repeatedly stressed that AI will not replace teachers but will grant them greater scope. They believe that once AIDT matures, teachers will be able to adjust overall teaching content and pacing based on AI-analyzed data while proactively addressing each student’s needs, shifting from a state of exhaustion to precision-targeted instruction. Professor Park added: “Future classrooms will be far more dynamic. With AIDT’s support, teachers can offer as many types of guidance as there are students in the class.” Addressing some teachers’ concerns, he corrected: “The notion that AI means students no longer need us to impart knowledge is a misconception. Master AI’s operations, understand AI literacy, and you can become an educator who turns stones into gold.”

From Controversy to Trust: The Arduous Path of Reform

Yet AIDT’s rollout has not been smooth, with significant challenges lurking behind its vision. Responses within South Korea’s education community are polarized—supporters laud its innovation, while detractors raise valid concerns. Researcher Jinsan Ahn admitted: “Some argue that the decline in linguistic and learning abilities is the urgent issue, a topic we must study carefully.” Others question whether a two-year rush overlooks long-term impacts, whether massive investments are justified amid a global economic downturn, and whether lagging rural infrastructure might widen the digital divide. Data security and privacy have also become focal points. Professor Park responded: “We see these worries clearly and are addressing them through training and research.”

▲On the left is researcher Hyunjin Park, who focuses on early childhood digital education, and on the right is researcher Jinsan Ahn, who specializes in computer programming languages

With 350,000 teachers in South Korea, expecting all to grasp the reform’s intent and urgency in a short time is unrealistic. Team members candidly noted that younger teachers or those teaching computer-related subjects tend to view AI and digital education reforms more positively, while others harbor varying degrees of apprehension. The Ministry’s “AI Digital Competencies Assessment Framework,” intended to aid teachers’ transformation, may inadvertently add pressure. Encouragingly, many initially resistant teachers have shifted their stance after trying AIDT, some even seeking further knowledge. The team agrees that much of this fear stems from the unknown.

Professor Park explained that since AIDT’s implementation details were finalized, they and related teams have tirelessly held teacher meetings and training sessions, with research efforts proceeding in tandem. “No education system matures without a cycle,” he said. “It starts with design and creation, followed by initial trials, data collection, and listening to feedback. At set intervals, we analyze outcomes, adjust policies and technology accordingly, then iterate until most stakeholders approve—even a technology as remarkable as AI is no exception.” He conceded that pushing such a large-scale reform in a short timeframe is fraught with difficulties, but their conviction that it matters to students, teachers, and the future of education drives them forward. “Challenges are everywhere,” he affirmed, “but we are confident we can overcome them.”

▲Professor Park candidly shared the difficulties and challenges encountered in promoting large-scale AI and digital education reforms in South Korea

AI’s Double-Edged Sword: Risks and Opportunities Coexist

On AI’s risks, Professor Park was forthright: “Technology has always been a double-edged sword.” AIDT’s three goals—eliminating the education gap, freeing teachers, and fostering lifelong skills—are shadowed by challenges. For instance, as personalized learning expands, data collection will inevitably grow, raising questions about introducing AI and digital learning material to early childhood education. Hyunjin Park, who specializes in this field, noted: “We’re cautiously studying its pros and cons from multiple angles to provide scientific evidence for policy-making.”

Data security is another hotly debated issue. Jinsan Ahn, an expert in programming and STEM education, pointed out that South Korea’s government passed the Act on the Development of Artificial Intelligence and Establishment of Trust (AI Basic Act) in December 2024, making it the world’s second law regulating AI development and use (following the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act in May 2024). This legislation offers clear guidance for AIDT on data encryption, usage restrictions, and transparency. “It reflects the Ministry’s commitment to data security and the privacy of students and teachers,” he said, “ensuring student data is used solely for learning and never leaked—an absolutely critical point.”

Another concern is information accuracy. Professor Park stressed that AI-generated content must be vetted by teachers, and even if perfect accuracy is achieved in the future, their role remains indispensable. Reflecting on technological history, he said: “From calculators to the internet, every breakthrough was seen as a destructive threat, yet ultimately brought immense benefits to humanity and civilization. We often overestimate short-term risks and underestimate long-term value of technology.” For him, the AI era has just started. “We’re at the beginning of the beginning,” he observed. “,risks and opportunities coexist. Our mission is to guide teachers and students to boldly explore AI education’s possibilities while ensuring core competencies like language skills, communication, and critical thinking are enhanced, not diminished.

▲On the left is Woongmin Jo, a senior teacher specializing in engineering and STEM education, and on the right is Miae Jeong, a senior teacher focusing on music education

▲Future teacher YeonWoo Yu believes that the ability to flexibly adapt to technological changes and quickly master them is the skill that ensures teachers will never be replaced

Global Perspectives and Hong Kong’s Insights

Led by Professor Park, the team has visited San Francisco, Tokyo, London, Singapore, and now Hong Kong—a key stop in their global exchange. When asked about nations’ AI readiness, he replied: “For policymakers, education, economy, trade, medicine, and research are all vital and interconnected. Education is Korea’s priority, so we’ve invested heavily to seize this moment, using AI to reform education and tackle enduring issues.” In his view, AI’s relationship with humanity will grow closer and more cooperative. “AI will endow us with new wisdom and capabilities to address previously unsolvable problems—in education and beyond,” he said. The dialogue concluded with YeonWoo Yu, a future teacher from the team: “The most valuable skill for teachers, and one that cannot be replaced, is adapting to future technological shifts and mastering them swiftly.”

The challenges Korea’s education system faces—learning disparities, teacher shortages, and student stress—are just as acute in Hong Kong. This conversation was not merely a sharing of Korean experiences but a mirror for local education. How do we balance technology with humanity? How can we free teachers from tedious burdens? How should policymakers, educators, and tech developers collaborate to meet this transformation? The future of AI education remains unwritten, but this visit underscores a pressing truth: reflection and action cannot wait.