Article 22(Expansion of educational infrastructure) #
(1) The superintendent of education may integrate and operate facilities, equipment, teachers, etc. of kindergartens defined in subparagraph 2 of Article 2 of the Early Childhood Education Act (hereinafter referred to as "kindergarten") and schools defined in Article 2 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (hereinafter referred to as "school") in a depopulation region, as prescribed by Presidential Decree. In such cases, the State and local governments may subsidize expenses necessary to secure the right to education of young children and students.
(2) Where the superintendent of education intends to close a public kindergarten prescribed in subparagraph 2 of Article 7 of the Early Childhood Education and a public school prescribed in subparagraph 2 of Article 3 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act or any branch thereof, among public kindergartens and schools in a depopulation region, he or she may hear opinions of the head of the relevant Si/Gun/Gu.
(3) Notwithstanding Article 11 (8) of the Local Education Subsidy Act, the head of a Si/Gun/Gu in a depopulation region may subsidize education expenses incurred in kindergartens and schools under his or her jurisdiction.
(4) The Minister of Education may grant subsidies under the Local Education Subsidy Act to improve the educational conditions and to operate the curricula of kindergartens and schools within a depopulation region, as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
(5) A school in a depopulation region may operate subjects and special or aptitude programs (including programs focusing on child care activities, in cases of an elementary school) other than the regular curricula, and a kindergarten may operate after school programs under subparagraph 6 of Article 2 of the Early Childhood Education Act. In such cases, the superintendent of education may preferentially provide administrative and financial support.
(6) Notwithstanding Article 4 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the superintendent of education may determine special cases concerning the standards for establishment of schools and authorization thereof, with respect to schools within a depopulation region (excluding private schools under subparagraph 3 of Article 3 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act), as prescribed by Presidential Decree.
(7) The Minister of Education and the heads of local governments may establish and promote a lifelong education project under subparagraph 4 of Article 2 of the Lifelong Education Act in a depopulation region and may provide administrative and financial support necessary therefor, with regard to the following matters:
1. Creation of learning-based jobs;
2. Connection between employment and welfare;
3. Pending issues of the relevant region.
(8) The State and local governments shall have educational facilities (referring to educational facilities under subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the Act on the Safety and Maintenance of Educational Facilities), such as universities or colleges, properly established and attracted in a depopulation region.
(9) The State and local governments may preferentially provide administrative or financial support to a person who intends to establish educational facilities, such as universities or colleges, in a depopulation region pursuant to paragraph (8) or to relocate educational facilities such as universities or colleges, which are established in an area outside a depopulation region, into the depopulation region.
(10) The State and local governments may provide local universities or colleges prescribed in subparagraph 1 of Article 2 of the Act on the Development of Local Universities and Colleges and Regional Human Resources within a depopulation region (hereinafter referred to as "local university or college") with support greater than support prescribed in Article 16 of that Act.
(11) Where the State and local governments provide support prescribed in Articles 11 through 14 of the Act on the Development of Local Universities and Colleges and Regional Human Resources, to students or graduates of local universities or colleges located in a depopulation region among human resources for balanced regional development defined in subparagraph 2 of Article 2 of that Act, they shall endeavor to strengthen the relevant support.
(12) Where the Minister of Education formulates a master plan for financial support for higher education and a support plan therefor under Article 7-2 (1) of the Higher Education Act, he or she shall include a plan for support or subsidization for universities or colleges located in a depopulation region.