Lee Hyuk-je, Jeonnam Provincial Councilor, Emphasizes Incentives: "Island Schools Are Not Places of Exile"

23 Out of 86 Disciplinary Public Officials Assigned to Islands in the Past 3 Years

Lee Hyuk-je, Jeonnam Provincial Assembly Member

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-gyeong] Lee Hyuk-je, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party, Mokpo 4), strongly criticized the personnel policy of the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education during the administrative audit held on the 10th at the Gangjin Office of Education for Gangjin, Suncheon, Boseong, Jangheung, and Wando education offices, stating, “The proportion of island area schools among the transfer destinations for disciplined public officials is relatively high.”

According to Assemblyman Lee Hyuk-je, based on the transfer status of disciplined public officials by the Jeollanam-do Office of Education over the past three years, 23 out of a total of 86 disciplined public officials, accounting for 26%, were assigned to island areas. Considering that the total number of schools in Jeonnam is 824 (main schools), and the number of island schools is only 52 (6.3%), this is a relatively high figure.

Assemblyman Lee emphasized, “Looking at the transfer status of disciplined public officials, things that seem like they belong to the Joseon Dynasty are still happening,” and added, “Islands are not places of exile. Students on islands also want to pursue their dreams with excellent teachers.”

He continued, “The concerns of island residents are great. The farther the island is from the mainland, the more the residents feel a sense of shame about their hometown when disciplined public officials are assigned there,” and demanded improvements, saying, “If we advocate for innovative 21st-century Jeonnam education, we must break the framework of past personnel policies.”

Furthermore, he stated, “This phenomenon occurs because the personnel policy of the Jeonnam Office of Education mainly involves transferring disciplined personnel to lower-level positions,” and added, “In places with poor working conditions like islands, talented individuals with a sense of mission and capability as educators must be assigned, and incentives must be provided.”

In response, Kim Myung-sik, the Wando Education Superintendent, said, “This is an issue that Wando parents unanimously raise as a complaint, so I deeply empathize with the problem,” and responded, “If many incentives are given to teachers working in island areas, we expect capable teachers to volunteer.”

Finally, Assemblyman Lee Hyuk-je emphasized, “August 8 last year was the first Island Day, a national commemorative day, and on September 30, the Jeonnam Office of Education’s Island Education Promotion Ordinance, which I sponsored, passed the provincial council,” and added, “Therefore, the executive branch must further expand human and material investments in islands.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.