The 'Character Education Revitalization Research Group' (headed by Representative Bang Han-il) of the South Chungcheong Provincial Council held its launching ceremony and first meeting on the 21st in Conference Room 303 of the Provincial Council. The group will promote the development of physical activity models for cultivating students' character and pursue research services for related support policies.

The research group was formed to address social issues such as weakened community spirit and increased school violence following the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aims to explore ways to revitalize character education through physical activities to foster moral values that have become even more crucial in the AI era.

Representative Bang Han-il (Education Committee, South Chungcheong Provincial Council) serves as the representative of the research group, and Kim Moon-soo, a supervisor from the South Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education's Democratic Citizenship Education Division, acts as the secretary. The group comprises a total of 11 members, including Provincial Council members Lee Sang-geun (Hongseong 1, People Power Party), Kim Eung-gyu (Asan 2, People Power Party), and Yoo Seong-jae (Cheonan 5, People Power Party), as well as Choi Pil-hwan (Head of Higher Education Policy, South Chungcheong Province), Kwon Seon-tak (Director of Democratic Citizenship Education Division, South Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education), Song Ho-jin (Secretary-General of the South Chungcheong School Operations Council), Professor Jang Mi-kyung (Namseoul University), Park Jeong-eon (Department Head, Korea Confucian Culture Promotion Agency), and Lee Ju-cheol (Teacher, Naepo Elementary School).

During the meeting, the 2025 budget and key projects for character education in South Chungcheong Province and the South Chungcheong Provincial Office of Education were shared. Professor Jang Mi-kyung of Namseoul University announced the implementation plan for the research service on 'Physical Activity Models and Support Policies for Cultivating Students' Character.' The research service aims to foster core character traits such as cooperation, respect, responsibility, and empathy through physical activities. It will involve analyzing domestic and international cases, surveying teachers and students' needs, and developing policy models.

Furthermore, the research group plans to develop practical policy measures tailored to the specific circumstances of South Chungcheong Province. These measures include character education programs linking schools and the local community, training for enhancing teachers' capabilities, and identifying and disseminating best practices in character education. The group will also explore policy and institutional support measures to effectively establish and expand character education based on physical activities.

Representative Bang Han-il stated, "Various educational approaches, including physical activities, are necessary to cultivate the core character traits demanded by the AI era and future society. I hope this research group will serve as a new milestone for character education policies in South Chungcheong."

The research group will continue to gather field opinions and propose policy recommendations until the end of this year, starting with this meeting.

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