Seoul Superintendent of Education Race: Jo Jeon-hyeok VS Jeong Geun-sik... Progressive Independent Candidacy as a Variable

Conservatives Achieve Candidate Unification After 12 Years
Progressives Also Support Jeong Geun-sik
Prospects of Reunification with Independent Candidates
Candidate Registration Applications on 26-27th

With the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent by-election scheduled for the 16th of next month, both the progressive and conservative camps have each achieved preliminary candidate unification. On the 25th, the progressive camp nominated Professor Emeritus Jeong Geun-sik of Seoul National University, while the conservative camp endorsed former Hannara Party lawmaker Jo Jeon-hyeok as their unified candidates. However, the progressive camp still has independent candidates who did not participate in the unification primary, making future vote consolidation challenging.

Jeong, the unified candidate selected by the '2024 Democratic Progressive Education Superintendent Promotion Committee (Promotion Committee),' launched the Integrated Election Countermeasures Committee at 10 a.m. on the 26th in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. At the launch ceremony, former Vice Chairman of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union Kang Shin-man, former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Kwak No-hyun, former Seoul Metropolitan Education Commissioner Ahn Seung-moon, and former principal of Oryu Middle School Hong Je-nam, who all participated in the primary, attended and read a joint resolution.

Jo, who was endorsed as the final unified candidate by the Seoul Metropolitan Education Superintendent Moderate Conservative Candidate Unification Integrated Countermeasures Committee (Tongdae-wi), is expected to join forces with former Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations President Ahn Yang-ok and Korea University Education Professor Hong Hu-jo, who were also primary candidates. At a press conference announcing the candidates the previous day, Ahn and Hong stated they would accept the primary results.

On the 25th, preliminary candidates Jeong Geun-sik and Jo Jeon-hyeok were nominated as the final candidates for the unification primary.
[Photo by Jeong Geun-sik, Jo Jeon-hyeok Camp]

The conservative camp appears to have unified quickly, unlike in past cases. In the last three elections where former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon was elected, the conservative camp failed to unify their candidates. Although there were some disputes among candidates in this election as well, unification was achieved through Tongdae-wi for the first time in 12 years. Former Sangmyung University Special Appointment Professor Kim Young-bae, who had previously declared an independent run, is scheduled to hold a policy agreement ceremony with candidate Jo on this day.

On the other hand, the progressive camp still has not narrowed down its candidates. Professor Bang Hyun-seok of Chung-Ang University’s Creative Writing Department, former Seoul Digital University President Kim Jae-hong, former Ewha Womans University International Studies Professor Jo Ki-sook, and former Seoul Metropolitan Education Commissioner Choi Bo-seon have declared independent candidacies. It is highly likely that a re-unification process with these candidates will be necessary going forward.

The Seoul Metropolitan Election Commission will accept candidate registration applications from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. over two days, the 26th and 27th. Efforts to unify candidates are expected to continue until the 7th of next month, when ballot printing begins, and the early voting day on the 10th.

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