The head of the state-run Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation(KICE), which is responsible for producing the annual College Scholastic Ability Test(CSAT), has announced he would resign from his post.

KICE President Lee Gue-min made the announcement on Monday in a press release, saying that he has decided to step down to take responsibility for a controversy over a mock CSAT test conducted in June.

Lee said that he is sorry for causing concerns to students and parents who worked long and hard preparing for the CSAT. 

The KICE chief continued that his move is for the stable preparation and implementation of the CSAT for the 2024 academic year, adding KICE will do its best to ensure that this year’s test will be implemented smoothly.

Lee, who took office last March, was supposed to serve until February 2025.

Last Thursday, Yoon instructed the education minister to exclude material that is not covered by public education from the CSAT. 

The following day, the education ministry placed a high-ranking ministry official in charge of CSAT on a waiting list and said that it would audit the KICE if it had properly implemented Yoon’s order.