Epochal Improvement in CSAT

The National Assembly held its main session on Nov. 13 and approved the closing of the 2000 budget, which was under suspicion of having been diverted illegally, and the spending of reserved funds. It also urged the government through a supplementary resolution to establish a principle that keeps the budget from being used for other than its original purpose.

In its supplementary resolution, the National Assembly stated, ``The government should effort to prevent any disputes, regarding the spending of the budget, as to whether it has been used for other than its original purpose except the case that the diversion of the budget has been approved in advance by the National Assembly, or that the diversion has been undertaken within the basic operation funds, and the Board of Audit and Inspection should give special attention to this matter.``

The supplementary resolution defined as types of `the use of the budget for other than its original purpose` △ the case that a large-sized new operation which is not earmarked for the budget is conducted by diverting the budget △ the case that an operation is expanded in a large scale through diverting funds more than the budget △ the case that the balance of other operation budgets is carried forward largely at the end of the year to the next year`s operation.

The ruling and opposition parties agreed at the budget committee executive secretary meeting that they will newly organize a consultation council within the National Assembly for examining the laws concerned with financial reforms to deal more deeply with the three laws concerned with the finance and the law of basic administration of apportionment. They also agreed to a settlement of the budget sub-committee within the budget committee and inspect the closing of the budget throughout the year.

Meanwhile, at the education committee Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation reported, ``An epochal measure will be taken to improve the specialty of those who prepare questions for CSAT.`` and added, ``We are carefully studying the cases of Japan`s college entrance, and considering to provide the standard grade only without indicating the actual grade as it is being conducted in the U.S. SAT.``

jnghn@donga.com