Jung Sung-guk Elected New KFTA President... First Elementary School Teacher in 75 Years

The Second Ever President from a Regular Teacher Background
Received 39.3% of Votes in the Presidential Election
Campaign Promises to Reduce Students per Class and Prevent Pension Deterioration
"Choosing a Teacher as President is a Demand for Change in KFTA"

Jung Sung-guk, a teacher at Haegang Elementary School in Busan, was elected as the 38th president of the Korea Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA). He is the first elementary school teacher to become president in the history of KFTA and the second president ever to come from a regular teaching position.

On the 21st, KFTA announced that out of 104,714 eligible voters in the 38th presidential election, 88,320 voted, and candidate Jung received 39.3% (33,613 votes), winning the presidency. Professor Cho Dae-yeon of Korea University received 26.8% (22,878 votes), and Professor Kwon Taek-hwan of Daegu National University of Education received 33.9% (28,976 votes).

Newly elected President Jung said, "The choice of a teacher as president reflects the members' urgent demand for change within KFTA," adding, "We will create a new wind by reading the field, representing it, and acting accordingly."

Vice presidents elected alongside President Jung as running mates include ▲Lee Sang-ho, principal of Dasan Hangang Elementary School in Gyeonggi (Senior Vice President) ▲Yeo Nan-sil, principal of Yeongdong Middle School in Seoul ▲Kim Do-jin, professor at Daejeon Health University ▲Son Deok-je, teacher at Ulsan Oesol Middle School ▲Go Mi-so, teacher at Gwangju Wolgok Elementary School.

President Jung's pledges include ▲blocking pension deterioration ▲increasing the number of teachers to reduce the number of students per class to below 20 ▲complete transfer of after-school programs and childcare to local governments ▲abolition of all administrative tasks for teachers ▲abolition of teacher competency development evaluations and performance-based pay ▲immediate on-site response to education activity interference and malicious complaints.

Additionally, he promised to pursue changes such as renaming kindergartens to "early childhood schools," expanding public kindergartens to 50%, establishing measures to guarantee the status of private kindergarten teachers, securing senior teacher positions, expanding health personnel and establishing health education support centers, securing nutrition teacher positions and assigning two nutrition teachers in schools above a certain size, protecting special education teachers' educational activities and expanding special education support personnel, increasing librarian teachers, mandating professional counseling teachers, and easing the burden of university evaluations.

President Jung stated, "Above all, I will lead efforts to strengthen teachers' rights and improve their welfare so that teachers can focus on student education with pride and passion," adding, "As a professional teachers' organization, we will also devote all efforts to educational development. We will firmly demand and carry out activities to realize the 20 major pledges with the new government, education offices, and the National Assembly."

Jung Sung-guk, born in 1971 (age 51), graduated from Busan National University of Education and earned a master's degree from Busan National University of Education Graduate School. He has worked at Tohyeon Elementary School in Busan, Seongbuk Elementary School, Dongwon Elementary School, Namcheon Elementary School, and Gyori Elementary School. He has served as the elementary representative on the KFTA-Ministry of Education, Science and Technology negotiation committee, Korean representative at the 28th ASEAN Teachers Council (ACT) General Assembly, and as a KFTA specialist committee member.

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