Candidate Kim Dae-jung for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Promises to Address Regional Decline and Inequality

Training 100,000 Digital Talents, Rebuilding Education in Honam

Kim Dae-jung, Preliminary Candidate for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] Kim Dae-jung, a preliminary candidate for Jeonnam Superintendent of Education, held a press conference at 11 a.m. on the 30th in the briefing room of the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education and announced three pledges regarding the cultivation of 100,000 digital talents, resolving regional extinction, and balanced regional development.

Candidate Kim pointed out the triple difficulties of educational disparity in Gwangju and Jeonnam and the decline in CSAT scores, stating, “Just like the spirit of the Honam militia who saved the country, I will cultivate 100,000 digital talents to uplift Honam through education.”

He continued, “With over 50% of the population concentrated in the metropolitan area and local fiscal independence dropping below 50%, a full-fledged era of regional inequality has begun,” and declared, “If I become superintendent, I will actively respond to this issue.”

To this end, Candidate Kim promised ▲ the Honam (Gwangju, Jeonnam, Jeonbuk) Balanced Development Council for regional mutual growth ▲ the establishment of an integrated education task force jointly operated by Jeonnam Province and the Jeonnam Office of Education ▲ and the abolition of restrictions on subsidies for educational expenses by local governments.

He analyzed, “Matching projects that require local governments to bear their own costs in response to national funds are disadvantages that strangle poor local governments, and with local fiscal independence falling below 50%, they have fallen into a vicious cycle of regional unequal development.”

He also pointed out, “The rural boarding school program, which the Jeonnam Office of Education boasts as an achievement, is only a temporary measure,” and added, “To effectively promote this, a task force composed of full-time staff from the relevant departments is necessary.”

Furthermore, he said, “There is a successful case of the integrated education task force in Gyeongnam, and it will be the first step toward a new educational autonomy of convergence and companionship that can effectively respond to future education, lifelong learning, care systems, as well as saving small schools and revitalizing depopulated areas.”

He then declared, “Thirteen counties in Jeonnam (Gokseong, Gurye, Goheung, Boseong, Jangheung, Gangjin, Haenam, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, Jangseong, Wando, Jindo, Sinan) are suffering from unequal discrimination due to restrictions on educational expenses,” and pledged, “I will take the lead in solving this problem.”

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