The education ministry has rolled up its sleeves to foster more talent related to the semiconductor industry, one of South Korea’s key industries.

Vice education minister Jang Sang-yoon told reporters on Wednesday that the ministry is preparing drastic measures to accelerate and expand the nurturing of semiconductor-related manpower at universities.

This comes just a day after President Yoon Suk Yeol strongly blasted the education ministry's mediocre results in fostering talent in science and technology. President Yoon went as far to say that the ministry must be reformed if it fails to develop graduates with skills crucial to the key industry.

Vice minister Jang said that he is mulling whether to expand the number of semiconductor-related students while keeping the current student quota unchanged at universities in the capital region, or to draw up separate standards giving a special dispensation to schools seeking to expand the number of students in the relevant fields.