Representative Kang Kyung-sook of the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party, who is leading the legislative effort, said passage of the bill appeared likely amid rising support from superintendents of education offices across the country.

“We are viewing the possibility of passing this bill positively,” an aide to Kang said. “At first, we received a huge number of protest calls, but now, not so much … We are actively working to build consensus among education superintendents, as we continue to push for it.”

Under the bill, all cram school programmes in English and other school subjects would be completely prohibited for children under 36 months. For older children not yet enrolled in school, instruction is restricted to no more than 40 minutes per day.

If passed, the law would apply to all types of English education services, including for-profit private institutions and tutors. Violators could face penalties including the “cancellation of registration, or suspension of all or part of the business”.

The momentum is building amid extreme private education practices that subject preschool children to intensive tutoring and entrance exams to obtain admission to reputable “English kindergartens” – preschool institutions in which the primary language of instruction is English.