Kim Dong-yeon: "Candidate Kim In-cheol received scholarships for 4 family members through dad's influence, angering the public"

Candidate Kim Dong-yeon for Governor of Gyeonggi Province. / Photo by Yoon Dong-ju doso7@

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Kim Dong-yeon, the Democratic Party candidate for Governor of Gyeonggi Province, advised Kim In-cheol, the nominee for Minister of Education, who has been facing continuous allegations, to reflect on whether he has sufficiently practiced self-cultivation before formulating education policies.

On the 27th, Kim released a statement saying, "Allegations related to nominee Kim In-cheol have been pouring out daily (through the media). On the 27th, reports emerged that the nominee, his spouse, and two children?all four family members?received Fulbright scholarships. There are sarcastic remarks such as 'Dad chance,' 'Self chance,' and 'Spouse chance,'" criticizing the situation.

He continued, "Given that the nominee served as president of the Fulbright Alumni Association and as an auditor for the Korea-America Educational Commission, which manages the scholarship fund, he cannot be free from disputes over fairness. The benefits, which are given to a small number of 20 to 30 people annually, were concentrated on one family. Our government budget has also been invested in the scholarship fund, with 3.9 billion won allocated each year since 2018," he pointed out.

Furthermore, he said, "Scholarships are a relief measure for underprivileged students, designed to close educational gaps and nurture talents who will contribute to society. Many are angry that candidate Kim, who surely knows this, used these 'chances' for his family. Before being Minister of Education, he was a teacher who taught students. Seeing such behavior, who would trust the administration he will carry out as Minister of Education?" he questioned.

In particular, he stated, "In a situation where the COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about widening educational disparities, the ladder for social mobility has collapsed, and if an 'unfair minister' takes office in educational settings where wisdom about fairness and coexistence should be learned, the will to learn will inevitably be crushed. Candidate Kim should look back and see if his learning of 'sushin jega' (self-cultivation, family regulation, and governance) is lacking before drafting education policies," he directly criticized.

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