Cho Hee-yeon Officially Announces Third-Term Candidacy "Opposes Return to Past Including Autonomous Private High Schools"

Ahead of June Local Elections, Announces Intention to Run for Third Term
"No Other Path, Education Innovation Tasks Remain"
Education Superintendent Candidacy to be Announced Late April to Early May
Opposes Candidate Kim Incheol's Stance on Expanding Regular Admissions and Maintaining Autonomous Private High Schools

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, is holding a press conference on the 3rd anniversary of his inauguration at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 6th. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, has officially declared his bid for a third term. He plans to announce his candidacy as early as the end of this month.

On the 14th, Superintendent Cho said at a press briefing held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education regarding his third-term candidacy, "I have no other path. Given that the ministerial candidate has even mentioned reversing the autonomous private high school policy, I believe the task of preserving the existing educational innovation path remains with me."

Superintendent Cho explained, "I am considering announcing my candidacy around the end of April or early May. Once registered as a candidate, I will enter a 'duty suspension leave' status, and after the election, I will return to work on June 2 and continue working until June 30."

He stated his intention to officially announce his third-term candidacy after the 18th, when the new quarantine system, including adjustments to social distancing measures, will be implemented.

Superintendent Cho said, "The long journey overcoming COVID-19 seems to be coming to an end soon. At that point, I think it is time to move to the next stage. I believe there is still a journey ahead toward education where children are happy, education free from the pressures of entrance exam competition, and education that cultivates civic culture and professional competencies. I consider this a responsibility to parents."

On the same day, Superintendent Cho opposed the position of Kim In-cheol, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education nominee, regarding maintaining autonomous private high schools and expanding regular admissions.

He said, "I understand that Minister Kim opposes the abolition of autonomous private high schools. This is his personal view, and I believe it has not yet been finalized as the new government's education policy. The conversion of autonomous private and foreign language high schools into general high schools is a topic with broad public consensus and reversing this major educational trend requires serious consideration."

Superintendent Cho added, "The advantage of autonomous private and foreign language high schools lies in their considerable autonomy in curriculum operation, but there has been critical public opinion about autonomous private high schools being heavily oriented toward entrance exam-focused education. I hope it does not go in that direction."

He also expressed concerns about expanding the proportion of regular admissions in university entrance policies, arguing that increasing it beyond the current 40% applied by major universities in Seoul is excessive.

Superintendent Cho stated, "While the vast majority of teachers support the student record-based selection or early admissions, parents oppose it. Since this is an irreconcilable point, alternatives are needed. However, expanding the regular admissions ratio beyond 40% is not appropriate. I think this should be discussed once the National Education Commission is established."

He argued that instead of increasing the weight of the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), the system should be reformed to convert the CSAT to an absolute evaluation system.

He explained, "Increasing the weight of the CSAT and moving toward a CSAT-centered system distorts elementary and secondary education further. In response to the high school credit system, the evaluation system must inevitably shift to absolute evaluation. Non-curricular activities excessively influence admissions decisions under the student record-based selection, and I believe these activities should be promoted and linked with curriculum guidance as part of school evaluations."