Gwangju Hongbok Academy Launches Second Round of Recruitment for Financial Contributors

On the afternoon of the 27th, at the Gwangju City Council Education and Culture Committee meeting room, faculty members, parents, experts, and representatives of civic groups are listening to speeches at the "Discussion on Measures to Normalize Hongbok Academy through Recruiting Financial Contributors." Photo by Song Bohyun

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Hongbok Academy, an incorporated educational foundation, will launch a second round of public recruitment for financial contributors to restore normal operations to the foundation. This comes just over a month after the first round of recruitment failed.

The recruitment is open to citizens who possess educational awareness and financial investment capability. From November 3 to December 2, applicants must submit an application form, a plan for normalizing Hongbok Academy, and a written pledge to the administrative office of Daekwang Girls’ High School.

The Hongbok Academy Normalization Promotion Committee will select the financial contributors through a document review and presentation evaluation on December 4. The results will be released on December 5 via the websites of Daekwang Girls’ High School and Seojin Girls’ High School.

Hongbok Academy previously held the first round of recruitment and a re-announcement between August and September, but received no applications. In response, on the 27th, the Gwangju City Council Education and Culture Committee co-hosted a "Discussion on Measures to Normalize Hongbok Academy through Recruiting Financial Contributors" to analyze the reasons for the lack of applicants and discuss countermeasures.

During the discussion, some vulnerabilities such as private land issues within the school site were pointed out, but it was suggested that these could be resolved legally. Participants recommended that these details be thoroughly explained to potential financial contributors in the second round of recruitment.

The interim board of Hongbok Academy plans to provide detailed guidance on these matters to participants, reflecting the discussions from the forum.

If an external financial contributor is selected, the final decision on normalization will be made after review by the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education and deliberation by the Ministry of Education’s Private School Dispute Mediation Committee.

Yeo Donggu, interim chairman of the board, stated, "I hope the second round of recruitment will be completed successfully so that the foundation can be normalized as soon as possible," adding, "We will do our utmost to create a school environment where students and parents can feel secure."

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