U.S. President Barack Obama has again mentioned Korea in stressing the importance of education.

In his weekly address released by the White House Saturday, Obama criticized the Republican’s move to seek budget cuts in education. He says nothing would be more detrimental to U.S. prospects for success than cutting back on education, warning that such cuts would consign America to second place in a fiercely competitive global economy.

He then said China and India are not playing for second and neither are South Korea and Germany. He said such countries are playing for first and so should America.

Obama has mentioned Korea as a model country for education policy in speeches he has given ahead of the off-year elections.