Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Acting Authority System... Education Superintendent Election to be Held in October for the First Time in 12 Years (Comprehensive)

Deputy Superintendent Seol Se-hoon Acting Until October
Policies Including Innovation Schools and Free Meals Promoted
Election Candidate Registration Until 25th Next Month
Dozens of Candidates From Both Progressive and Conservative Camps

Cho Hee-yeon, the Superintendent of Education of Seoul, lost his position after being sentenced to a suspended prison term on charges of preferential hiring of dismissed teachers. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, where Superintendent Cho had held his position for 10 years, will now operate under the authority of Deputy Superintendent Seol Se-hoon as acting superintendent. Dozens of progressive and conservative figures are being mentioned as candidates for the Seoul Superintendent of Education by-election, which will be held in October for the first time in 12 years.

Outgoing Cho Hee-yeon: "The Path of Innovative Education Will Continue"

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is speaking in front of the main building of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the morning of the 29th.
[Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education]

On the afternoon of the 29th, Superintendent Cho stated in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education headquarters in Jongno-gu, Seoul, "In accordance with the Supreme Court ruling and related laws, I conclude my 10-year history as the Superintendent of Education of Seoul." About 300 officials from the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, education sector representatives, and education organizations gathered for Superintendent Cho’s farewell. Members of the Democratic Party of Korea, including Kwak Sang-eon, Kim Nam-geun, Kim Jun-hyuk, Nam In-soon, Park Joo-min, and Park Hong-geun, were also present.

Earlier that morning, the Supreme Court’s 3rd Division (Presiding Justice Oh Seok-jun) dismissed Superintendent Cho’s appeal in the final trial on charges of abuse of authority and violation of the State Public Officials Act, confirming the lower court’s sentence of 1 year and 6 months imprisonment with a 2-year suspension.

He said, "How could I not feel regret over this absurd reality where a superintendent is dismissed for reinstating dismissed teachers? However, I believe that the court’s decision must be respected and followed regardless of personal gains or losses."

He continued, "The original reasons for the dismissal of the teachers reinstated in 2018 are related to the issue of teachers’ political basic rights as citizens, which is now being discussed in the National Assembly," and emphasized, "I believe that their reinstatement also carries the meaning of more firmly guaranteeing teachers’ rights, which have been demanded since the tragedy at Seo-i Elementary School." He added, "The path of innovative education will continue, and I will return to society as a free person and live diligently," expressing his gratitude.

After Superintendent Cho finished his remarks, members of the Seoul Education Protection Joint Countermeasures Committee presented him with bouquets and shed tears. Superintendent Cho also wiped away tears and responded, "I hope you will now open a new path for education in the Republic of Korea." He then shook hands one by one with the officials lined up from the headquarters to the main gate before leaving. Civic groups such as the Seoul Special School Parents’ Association, Seoul Education Protection Joint Countermeasures Committee, and Seoul Disabled Parents’ Solidarity also chanted slogans to see him off.

The Achievements and Challenges of the '10-Year Superintendent'

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is greeting education office officials in front of the main building of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the morning of the 29th.
[Photo by Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education]

Superintendent Cho was the first to serve three terms as Seoul Superintendent of Education, holding the position for 10 years since his first term began in 2014. However, due to this sentence, he is stepping down about two years before the end of his 22nd term.

During his tenure, he emphasized 'innovative education' and promoted key policies such as converting autonomous private high schools to general high schools, expanding free school meals, establishing Seoul-style innovative schools, and founding special schools. As a progressive superintendent, he particularly stressed the Student Human Rights Ordinance, working to develop human rights content and human rights sensitivity education to foster a human rights-friendly school culture. However, after the Seoul Metropolitan Council abolished the Student Human Rights Ordinance in April, Superintendent Cho focused on efforts to prevent its repeal.

In his third term this year, he pushed forward priority projects such as 'Guk·To·In·Saeng (International Joint Classes, Debate Education, Artificial Intelligence Education, Ecological Transition Education),' the 'Book Wave Campaign,' and the opening of urban-type campuses. However, with his departure, the future prospects of these initiatives have become uncertain.

His resignation is also expected to impact the progressive education sector. Among the 17 superintendents nationwide, nine were classified as progressive, but with Superintendent Cho’s departure, the number will decrease to eight. The chairperson of the National Council of Superintendents of Education also changed from Cho to the conservative Kang Eun-hee, Superintendent of Daegu, in July.

By-election After 12 Years: The Candidate Pool

With Superintendent Cho losing his position due to a sentence of imprisonment or higher, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will be operated under the authority of Deputy Superintendent Seol Se-hoon as acting superintendent for the time being. According to the National Election Commission, the Seoul Superintendent of Education by-election is scheduled for October 16. This by-election is the first in 12 years since the mid-term resignation of former Superintendent Kwak No-hyun in December 2012.

In the education sector, dozens of candidates have already been mentioned. On the progressive side, former Vice Chairman of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union Kang Shin-man, former Seoul Superintendent Kwak No-hyun, Seoul National University Professor Kim Kyung-beom, and Chairman of the Teachers’ Union Federation Kim Yong-seo are among those mentioned.

On the conservative side, former Dongguk University Professor Park Sun-young, former President of the Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations Ahn Yang-ok, and former Hannara Party lawmaker Cho Jeon-hyuk are expected to run. Lee Ju-ho, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, who ran as a preliminary candidate in the 2022 Seoul Superintendent election, was also mentioned as a single candidate for the conservative camp but recently stated at a National Assembly medical school expansion hearing that he has no intention to run.

The winner of the by-election will serve as Seoul Superintendent of Education until May 3, 2025, when the 9th nationwide simultaneous local elections are held. The term is approximately 1 year and 8 months. Registration for preliminary candidates for the by-election will be held from the day Superintendent Cho lost his position until September 25. Candidate registration applications will be accepted from September 26 to 27, early voting will take place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on October 11 and 12, and voting will be held from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on October 16.

On the same afternoon, Deputy Superintendent Seol convened an emergency meeting of department heads and announced the transition to an acting superintendent system. Acting Superintendent Seol emphasized, "We will do our best to ensure stable academic operations in the second semester."

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