The Education Ministry and local universities have launched discussions on the possibility of partial tuition refunds for the spring semester as classes had to go online amid the COVID-19 outbreak. 

According to the ministry, related talks were held this week between Vice Education Minister Park Baek-bum and the new leadership of the Korean Council for University Education. 

During the meeting, a group of university presidents representing the council reportedly refused the ideal of full tuition reimbursement, citing dire fiscal conditions faced by many schools. 

The presidents instead said they would consider partial refunds in the forms of scholarships. The vice education minister proposed they closely communicate on related matters and find ways to assist students. 

Separately, the council submitted official proposals to the education ministry calling for administrative and financial assistance over the universities’ counter-virus measures. 

Most of colleges across the nation have been providing classes online since March. Some of them, including Ewha Womans University and Konkuk University, have decided to continue remote education for the rest of the spring semester, while others plan to resume face-to-face classroom lectures next month.