The government is pushing for the establishment of 1,099 new elementary, middle and high schools by 2004 and to add 22,000 new teachers to resuscitate lackluster public education.

In a meeting of education-related ministers Education and Human Resources Development Minister Han Wan-sang said the government will inject a combined 9.9 trillion won to build new schools and add 5,500 new teachers each year by 2004. The meeting was presided over by President Kim Dae-jung Friday.

Han, who also serves as one of the country's two deputy prime ministers, said the project will include measures to lure and retain highly-skilled school teachers through pay raises and overseas training programs.

He came up with a blueprint to cultivate six fields information-technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space-technology and cultural-technology as the nation's strategic sectors.

Presidential spokesman, Park Joon-young quoted President Kim as saying...the education authorities' failure to adapt to a knowledge-based society brought the current crisis of public education. The spokesman added... Kim called for measures to increase the viability of public education.