"I Will Teach People-Centered Values" ... Kwon Sunki, Gyeongnam Superintendent Candidate, Pays Respects at Former President Roh's Grave

"I Promise to Return to Bongha Village with Children If Elected Superintendent"

Kwon Soon-ki, candidate for Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education, visited Bongha Village in Gimhae on the morning of May 20, ahead of the 17th anniversary of the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s passing, and paid his respects at the former president’s gravesite.

This visit, held a day before his official campaign kickoff on May 21, was intended for Kwon to reaffirm his commitment as an educator and to reflect on how to realize the values of democracy and equality—values that the late President Roh dedicated his life to upholding—in the educational environment of Gyeongnam.

Kwon Soon-ki, candidate for Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education, is paying respects at the late President Roh Moo-hyun's gravesite. [Photo by Kwon Soon-ki Election Campaign Headquarters]

Even as it rained, Kwon laid flowers in front of the Neoreok Rock in Bongha Village. In a discussion with his campaign staff who accompanied him, he emphasized the significance of his visit.

He said, “President Roh’s vision of 'enlightened citizens' is ultimately achieved through proper education. The greatest responsibility of the superintendent is to ensure that our children grow into citizens who think independently and put justice into practice.”

Kwon especially highlighted the educational symbolism of Bongha Village. He stated, “This place encapsulates the life trajectory of President Roh, who continuously challenged the status quo and never settled for vested interests. I will teach our children the courage not to fear failure, and the ‘people-centered’ values of prioritizing others over oneself.”

Kwon also noted, “Gyeongsang National University served as the main venue for the ‘Second Phase National Balanced Development Declaration’ in 2007 during the Roh administration. My experience as co-chairman of the Busan-Gyeongnam Administrative Integration Committee, which dealt with balanced development and administrative reforms in the Busan and Gyeongnam regions, aligns with the national goal of balanced development.”

He further said, “The late President Roh’s efforts to regain wartime operational control shared a common strategic foundation with the Park Chung-hee era’s emphasis on self-reliant national defense and industrialization.”

Through this visit, Kwon reaffirmed three commitments for education in Gyeongnam: ▲ ensuring equal opportunities so that parental economic status does not determine a child’s abilities; ▲ achieving an education system free of unfairness by eliminating welfare blind spots; and ▲ building a future-oriented educational model that integrates the values of the local community and ecology, as exemplified by Bongha Village, into the school curriculum.

After paying his respects, Kwon wrote in the guestbook, “I will create a model for national balanced development through education in Gyeongnam,” reaffirming his determination.

After the visit, Kwon told his campaign staff, “An election is not simply about winning votes, but should be a valuable lesson in sharing the value of education with the people of the province. If elected superintendent, I promise to visit President Roh’s gravesite in Bongha Village with our children.”

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