Mayor Lee Hyunjae and Superintendent Lim Taehee Pledge to Make Establishment of Hanam Office of Education the "Top Priority" at Talk Concert

Hanam Sets a Turning Point Toward Becoming a Complete Education City
Pledges "One Team" Cooperation for Establishing the Office of Education and Resolving Overcrowding

The "Hanam Education Talk Concert" titled "Hi Hanam! Designing a Future Education City," which elevated education as the future of the city, was successfully held on November 26 at the Arang Hall of the Hanam Culture & Arts Center. Lee Hyunjae, Mayor of Hanam, and Lim Taehee, Superintendent of the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, took the stage together to discuss educational policies and current issues through on-site photos and videos, receiving enthusiastic responses from over 400 citizens in attendance.

Lee Hyun-jae, Mayor of Hanam, and Lim Tae-hee, Superintendent of Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education, are having a conversation at the "Hanam Education Talk Concert" titled "Hi Hanam! Designing a Future Education City" on the 26th. Provided by Hanam City

The first topic addressed was the urgent issue of "resolving overcrowded classrooms" in Hanam. When the moderator asked about the starting point of this change, Mayor Lee recalled the "desperation of citizens" in December 2021, when parents braved sub-zero temperatures overnight to demand the establishment of a new school.

In fact, ten years ago, during his time as a National Assembly member, Mayor Lee persistently requested the education authorities to establish the Hanam Office of Education, arguing that the integrated education support office system could not accommodate Hanam's rapidly growing population. As a result, the Hanam Education Support Center opened in 2020, laying the foundation for a new model of educational administration.

Mayor Lee also emphasized, "My very first official approval upon taking office was for the 'Overcrowded Classrooms Task Force,' which shows how urgent this issue was. The history of educational change in Hanam has been made directly by its citizens."

In response, Superintendent Lim highly praised Hanam City, stating, "The city’s provision of park land as a free lease for the establishment of Hanhol Middle School is an unprecedented exemplary case nationwide."

Meanwhile, Hanhol Middle School is on track to open in March 2026. Notably, from the design stage, the school has been built as a "coexistence model between school and community," opening facilities such as the playground and auditorium to the local community. This was reaffirmed during an on-site inspection in September attended by parents, local residents, and Oh Seongae, Director of the Gwangju Hanam Office of Education.

For the second topic, "Strengthening High School Competitiveness," the achievements of Namhan High School being selected as an Autonomous Public High School 2.0 were highlighted, along with concrete figures showing that the number of students admitted to ten major universities in Seoul increased by 48% compared to two years ago, demonstrating the rising status of Hanam's education.

Mayor Lee expressed his gratitude, saying, "I appreciate Superintendent Lim for his support during the selection process of Namhan High School as an autonomous public high school."

Additionally, Mayor Lee emphasized Hanam's educational philosophy that the entire city raises its children together, highlighting the establishment of a comprehensive support system for student safety. This includes the operation of school security officers, a walking school bus program, the creation of "Hanam-style school zones," and the introduction of a circular school bus connecting Wirye, Gam-Il, Namhan High School, and Hanam High School.

Third, Mayor Lee explained the urgent situation in the Wirye and Gam-Il districts, where he has requested the designation of a joint school district with nearby Songpa to alleviate overcrowding. In response, Superintendent Lim stated, "I deeply empathize with the overcrowding issues in Wirye and Gam-Il. Since the Wirye area is divided into three zones, an integrated approach is required. We are currently discussing solutions, including the joint school district, with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and are working to develop practical solutions as soon as possible."

Fourth, the highlight of the event was the "Establishment of the Hanam Office of Education." Mayor Lee announced, "Hanam is already fully prepared to become the first in the country to establish a new office. The city has secured a temporary office on the sixth floor of the Comprehensive Welfare Town and formed a launch support team, making it possible to start work at any time from December."

Mayor Lee further emphasized, "The establishment of the Office of Education is a turning point for completing 'Hanam as an Education City.'" Superintendent Lim specifically promised, "I am well aware of the citizens' expectations. As soon as the relevant regulations are revised, we will prioritize the Hanam Office of Education as our top priority and aim to proceed as early as the first half of next year," receiving a big round of applause.

Mayor Lee and Superintendent Lim concluded the event by reaffirming their commitment, stating, "Hanam's education has been shaped together with its citizens, and we will continue to work as one team to complete it in the future."

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