By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Those providing private tutoring service without reporting this to the authorities will now face up to one year in prison.

The National Assembly's Education Committee Tuesday passed a revision bill of the Private Tutoring Law to crack down on unregistered private teachers.

According to the law, those offering private education should report their teaching activity to the regional educational office and tax authority. Those violating the rule will be subject to one year in prison or a 5 million won fine. Previously, the punishment was up to a 1 million won fine.

The law targets tutors who provide pricey lessons at students' homes without paying taxes on their earnings. However, college or graduate school students are exempted from the regulation. Private tutoring is one of the most popular part-time jobs for students.

According to the revision bill, unregistered hagwon (private teaching institutes) or other forms of places that provide lectures to students will receive the same punishment as that for illegal tutors. The previous penalty was a one-year prison term or up to 3 million won in fines.

The amended law also stipulates that tutors who continue to give private lectures without reporting will be suspended from teaching for one year. Previously, such sanctions were slapped only on illegal hagwon, not tutors.

``Most private lecturers who take millions of won for a couple of lessons ahead of college admission tests do not report their earnings to evade tax. The revision is expected to help root out such illegal, expensive tutoring,'' Rep. Yoo Ki-hong of the United Democratic Party said.

The revision bill is expected to be passed in the National Assembly extraordinary session at the end of this month.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr