Why Korea’s Math Education Needs a Major Overhaul for the AI Age

When Korean educators recognized this connection, they took a bold step by introducing “AI Mathematics” as a new high school subject. It quickly sparked conversation. My international colleagues—mostly fellow professors—began asking for copies of the textbook. And here’s the real kicker: adults who had long abandoned math started flocking back to evening classes and AI boot camps.Their stories are all too familiar: the math they learned in school—stuffed into their heads solely for the purpose of passing tests—didn’t prepare them for solving real-world problems. Now, approaching math from a fresh perspective, they’re discovering that it’s indispensable in today’s world, forcing them to rebuild their understanding from the ground up.

This renewed interest in math stands in stark contrast to Korea’s rigid education system. Recent curriculum changes, driven by well-intentioned liberal policies, even eliminated key topics like vectors and matrices from high school math, deeming them “too difficult.” But let’s be honest: when students are expected to solve challenging problems in under five minutes, everything becomes hard. The problem isn’t math itself—it’s how we’re teaching and testing it.We’ve turned math into a race against the clock rather than an opportunity to think deeply and learn with purpose. Students focus on memorizing shortcuts instead of truly understanding concepts or applying them in various situations. As a result, when they reach college and face new material—whether it’s tough or not—they often panic, desperately hunt for answer keys, and end up feeling lost. Some even drop out altogether.

The reality is clear: our formal education system is falling short. High school math remains nothing more than a test-prep factory. And in college, there’s barely any difference between math designed for general learners or applied fields and the rigorous content meant for future mathematicians. Non-math majors find themselves grappling with abstract algebra that really belongs at the graduate level. Even within math departments, many students aren’t aiming to become researchers. Some plan to teach at hagwons, while others are simply searching for an exit strategy.Regardless of their future plans, we’ve lost sight of what makes math truly valuable: reading and writing about math, discussing ideas openly with peers, exploring its history and culture, and engaging with real, open-ended problems.

So, what’s the game plan? Major changes are needed. First, college entrance exams should genuinely assess the type of math that’s applicable across various fields and careers—no more one-size-fits-all nightmare tests. Second, we should offer full scholarships to students who not only demonstrate talent but also exhibit a genuine passion for math and other foundational subjects like history and philosophy. These subjects might not guarantee big paychecks, but they are crucial for building a smarter, more thoughtful society.Third, we must completely overhaul the certification process for math teachers. Currently, the exams are heavy on abstract theory and formal analysis but light on what truly matters—hands-on experience, real-world applications, and teaching methods that bridge the gap between college-level math and school curricula.

We also need to bolster our support for math educators. The curriculum itself isn’t inherently flawed—it actually covers a great deal of important ground. The real issue is the intense pressure surrounding admissions to top colleges, which often distorts how math is both taught and learned. A major problem is the lack of continuity across elementary, middle, and high school math programs, making it difficult to build upon concepts year after year. While some initiatives are striving to introduce modern applications like AI and real-world problem-solving, the majority of programs remain stuck on traditional topics such as calculus and analysis. The bigger issue, however, is the lack of consensus about the very purpose of math. Is it merely a test-taking skill? A language for science? Math for its own sake? Or a form of cultural literacy? This confusion places enormous pressure on teachers, making it harder to focus on genuine learning.That’s why teacher training programs need to do more than just cultivate strong teaching skills—they must also encourage future educators to think critically about the broader role math plays in our society.

This is just the beginning of the changes we need to implement. But if we start here, we might finally transform math into what it should be—not a source of stress, fear, or merely a shortcut to top college admission, but something that sparks wonder and curiosity. Math is a discipline that drives scientific discovery and deepens our understanding of the world. It’s a uniquely human way to interpret and shape our reality—especially now, when AI is influencing nearly every aspect of our lives.

Lim Woong

Lim Woong is a professor at the Graduate School of Education at Yonsei University in Seoul. The views expressed here are his own. — Ed.