Lee Jae-myung: "Is the policy to prevent unfair hiring corruption in private schools being called school oppression?"

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Lee Jae-myung, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, responded to some conservative media outlets labeling the entrusted operation of new private school teacher recruitment by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education as "tightening control over private schools," calling it a "color-based argument that makes no sense" and promising to "push forward with unwavering private school reform."

On the 11th, Lee posted on Facebook an article titled "Unwavering Private School Reform, Lee Jae-myung Will Do It," criticizing it as a "color-based argument that makes no sense" and "a typical reaction of the conservative vested interests who add color-based arguments to efforts aimed at reforming unfair recruitment."

He further advised, "If you still believe you can manipulate public opinion in this way, you need to question your own sense of public sentiment."

Lee explained, "(The new private school teacher recruitment) is not a complicated reform; it is about doing things sensibly," adding, "Entrusting the entire recruitment process to the Office of Education to prevent unfair recruitment and establish fairness is the policy."

In particular, he said, "This is a special measure promoted by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education to eradicate private school corruption that emerges almost daily," adding, "It is not enforced by coercion; if private schools conduct recruitment on their own, the corporation must bear the full personnel costs previously supported by the Office of Education, but private schools that entrust recruitment to the Office of Education will receive an additional 50 million won for the school and 5 million won for the corporation."

Lee emphasized, "Private school foundations are not engaged in private business but are responsible for the field of 'education,'" and "Therefore, they are not joint-stock companies but 'foundations,' and it is only natural that corresponding social responsibilities follow."

Furthermore, he stated, "The era when private school foundations could create small kingdoms and act at will is no longer possible," promising, "The private school reform started by President Roh Moo-hyun will be completed by Lee Jae-myung."

Earlier, Chosun Ilbo reported that when the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education announced it would take charge of new teacher recruitment for private elementary, middle, and high schools, private schools protested, saying, "If you are going to take away the authority to recruit teachers, then just convert us into public schools."

The newspaper also added that some in the education sector point out that the tightening control over private schools by progressive and left-leaning superintendents is accelerating.

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