[6.3 Election] Kim Daejung, Integrated Superintendent Candidate, Opens 'ChakChak Camp'... Launches Full-Scale Campaign

Campaign Office Opens on the 25th, Drawing 3,000 Attendees Including Political and Public Figures

Min Hyungbae, Chun Jungbae, Jung Junho, and Jang Manchae Rally in Support

Kim Daejung: "I Will Complete Educational Administration Integration and Lead the Way to a K-Education Special City"

Kim Daejung, the preliminary candidate running for the first Superintendent of Education in the newly integrated Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan City in the upcoming June 3 local elections, has officially launched his election campaign by opening his campaign office, “ChakChak Camp.”

On the afternoon of the 25th, Kim held an opening ceremony at his campaign office located in the Sangmu district of Gwangju. The venue was packed with over 3,000 supporters, including political and public figures, education leaders, and members of civil society, demonstrating the heated atmosphere ahead of the first superintendent election in the era of integration.

Kim Daejung, a preliminary candidate, and Min Hyungbae, candidate for the integrated city mayor of Jeonnam Gwangju, are having a conversation. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

Kim has put forth the slogan “Integration proceeds smoothly, education proceeds smoothly,” expressing his strong determination to achieve both the integration of Jeonnam-Gwangju’s educational administration and regional educational innovation at the same time.

Key figures from local politics, government, and the education sector also turned out in full force to lend their support. In particular, Min Hyungbae, the Democratic Party candidate for Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Mayor (Gwangsan-eul, Gwangju), took the stage and drew attention by highlighting his close ties with Kim and elaborating on their shared educational philosophy.

Min emphasized, “Kim Daejung, the preliminary candidate, is my friend. Education is a matter deeply tied to the future of our region. True education is not only about putting the top performers first, but about never giving up on students who are in the middle and ensuring that everyone is brought along together.”

He continued, “I am confident that Kim will excel more than anyone else on the challenging front lines.” At the end of his congratulatory speech, Min actively encouraged the audience’s participation by leading chants of “Integration proceeds smoothly, education proceeds smoothly, Kim Daejung proceeds smoothly!” which further energized the event.

On this day, Min Hyungbae, candidate for the integrated Jeonnam-Gwangju mayoral election, Cheon Jeongbae, chairman of the campaign support committee, Member of Parliament Jeong Junho, and former Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Jang Manchae expressed deep sympathy for candidate Kim Daejung's educational philosophy and demonstrated a strong alliance through congratulatory and encouragement speeches. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

Chun Jungbae, former Minister of Justice and chairman of the support committee, also offered encouragement, stating, “I am confident that Kim Daejung—the other Kim Daejung—will achieve great accomplishments as the inaugural education chief of the integrated Gwangju-Jeonnam Metropolitan City, just as the world-renowned leader, former President Kim Daejung, did for this region.”

National Assembly member Jung Junho (Buk-gu-gap, Gwangju) and former Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Jang Manchae also praised Kim as “the most prepared candidate for the first integrated superintendent,” urging for continued support.

Additionally, numerous key figures attended, including Shin Sujeong, candidate for Buk-gu mayor, Yoon Byungtae, candidate for Naju mayor, Oh Ju and Lee Eunbang, former Gwangju City Council chairmen, Heo Seungjun, president of Gwangju National University of Education, and Park Namgi, former president of the same university, all demonstrating strong backing for Kim.

The six permanent co-chairpersons, representing the education sector, academia, parents, and civil society, are pledging election victory together with candidate Kim. Photo by Lee Jung-kyung

This “ChakChak Camp” has been structured as an “integrated election campaign committee” encompassing the education sector, academia, parents, and civil society. The six standing co-chairs are: Kim Yongtae, principal of the Citizens’ School at the Roh Moo Hyun Foundation Gwangju; Kim Jinwoo, former president of Korea JC; Moon Seungtae, former vice president of Suncheon National University; Sung Myunghee, former principal of Gwangyang Yonggang Elementary School; Oh Kyungmi, former director of the Education Bureau at Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education; and Lim Changok, inaugural head of the Cham Education Parents’ Association Jeonnam branch.

At the event, parents held a unique performance in which they presented Kim with a “blank textbook.” The parent representative said, “The completion of Jeonnam-Gwangju integration lies in setting education right. Please fill this textbook with the voices and expectations of citizens to turn our region into Korea’s special city of education.”

On the 25th, the opening ceremony of the election campaign office for Kim Daejung, the preliminary candidate for Jeonnam Gwangju Superintendent of Education, was held in the Sangmu district of Gwangju. About 3,000 supporters, including political and public figures and citizens, gathered to fill the venue. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

On this day, Kim offered a strong assessment of the crisis facing education in Gwangju and Jeonnam. He remarked, “Jeonnam, which used to be a place where talent was nurtured, has now become a tilted playing field. Educational indicators for Gwangju and Jeonnam have fallen to the bottom among the 17 provinces and metropolitan cities, putting us in a very difficult situation.”

He continued, “Amid tremendous changes, with the special integration law enacted just three months after integration discussions began in December of last year, I have insisted since early January that education must be integrated as well. With the launch of ChakChak Camp, I vow to successfully complete the integration of Jeonnam-Gwangju’s educational administration and steadily realize our region’s future hopes.”

Meanwhile, Kim plans to further develop his policy vision for the upcoming election, aiming to make Jeonnam-Gwangju Korea’s “K-Education Special City” based on four key tasks: a special city for student lifecycle responsibility education, a special city for democratic education, a special city for nurturing talent, and a special city for lifelong cultural education.

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