[Inaugural Interview] Kim Dae-jung, Jeonnam Superintendent of Education, "We Will Definitely Achieve a Great Transformation in Jeonnam Education"

Support of 200,000 KRW per Student Monthly in High-Risk Disappearance Areas

Fair Personnel Practices Favoring Hardworking Faculty and Staff

Rural Agricultural and Fishing Village Study Programs Require Verification as a 'Representative Proje

Former Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Kim Dae-jung is being interviewed by Asia Economy.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung]

“We will create schools where students can study and classrooms where lessons can be conducted, and provide basic education income starting with elementary students in high-risk depopulation areas.”

Kim Dae-jung, the 4th elected Superintendent of Education of Jeonnam Province, presented this direction for education policy over the next four years in an interview with Asia Economy on the 5th.

Meeting with Superintendent Kim at the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, he said, “We named the Superintendent’s transition committee the ‘Jeonnam Education Great Transformation Preparation Committee.’ The role of the preparation committee is to concretely establish plans to fulfill campaign promises and to enable policy implementation.”

He added, “The preparation committee has completed major work reports and is currently establishing and coordinating plans to fulfill promises by division. Through analysis of major projects from the previous 3rd elected term, evaluations will be made on projects to continue and those that need modification or supplementation.”

The Jeonnam Education Great Transformation Preparation Committee is composed of 12 members, including 10 current and former education figures and 2 external members for communication with residents, based on the principle of forming a practical personnel team for policy realization.

At the committee’s launch ceremony, Superintendent Kim mentioned ‘Gaemunbalcha’ (literally “starting the vehicle with the door open”). This phrase reflects his intention to carefully prepare the great transformation of Jeonnam education by gathering diverse opinions.

Superintendent Kim also spoke about the basic education income pledge, which was a key issue during the election campaign.

He said, “Providing basic education income is fully achievable. Many people are curious about how to secure the budget, but basic income is more a matter of will than budget. This year, including supplementary budgets, the provincial education office’s budget exceeds 5 trillion won. We will start with elementary students in high-risk depopulation areas and gradually expand.”

He further explained, “The government has spent enormous budgets for a long time to prevent the decline in birth rates but failed to stop it, and regional depopulation is accelerating. To attract young populations and escape regional extinction, education, job creation, and improvement of living conditions must be realized simultaneously.”

Regarding concerns about budget issues, Superintendent Kim expressed confidence, saying, “Implementing this solely with our own budget will be difficult. We plan to use the regional depopulation response fund as the primary resource. If there are institutional obstacles, we will improve the system to ensure realization.”

He added, “The regional depopulation response fund promoted by the government provides 1 trillion won annually for 10 years to local governments, supporting projects through competitive applications. Jeonnam’s basic education income reflects the determination that ‘Jeonnam will take responsibility for education.’ We will provide an annual basic income of 2.4 million won per person to ensure sufficient support for raising children.”

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety designated 89 local governments as population decline areas in October last year and plans to support a total of 10 trillion won over 10 years starting this year through the regional depopulation response fund, providing 1 trillion won annually.

Former Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Kim Dae-jung is being interviewed by Asia Economy.

Regarding other key pledges such as addressing basic academic skills and solving the decline in student numbers, he identified preventing school mergers and preserving small schools as the most urgent tasks.

Superintendent Kim said, “The long-standing challenge of Jeonnam education is to prevent the decline in student numbers and the deterioration of educational capacity in rural education. Our society is caught in a vicious cycle of ‘job loss → population outflow → student decline → educational decline.’ Everyone knows that jobs and tailored education are the solution, but policy effectiveness is low.”

As an alternative, Superintendent Kim proposed a virtuous cycle structure between jobs and education. He analyzed that by having public-private-industry-academia cooperation to nurture people in Jeonnam as a driving force for regional development, and by providing jobs based on strategic industries along with tailored education, it is possible to overcome the regional extinction crisis.

He plans to accelerate the transformation of future education by leveraging the advantages of small schools and strengthen the competitiveness of rural education through bold support. In particular, digital-based level-differentiated tailored education and creative convergence education beyond the curriculum will be utilized as favorable conditions of small schools.

Additionally, through bold support, he aims to equip Jeonnam’s small schools with future educational capabilities to become ‘schools where students want to go’ and overcome the crisis.

Superintendent Kim said, “There have been many efforts to save small schools, with various administrative supports and considerable achievements. However, now we must enhance the educational capacity of small schools and create schools where students want to attend.”

Regarding personnel matters for faculty and staff, he expressed his intention to implement “fair and transparent personnel management” that assigns roles according to ability and favors hardworking staff.

He responded, “Personnel issues cannot escape bureaucracy if seniority is emphasized, and if ability-based appointments lack fairness, they become ‘code personnel.’ It is not easy to reflect all these elements in personnel management. We will carry out personnel appointments where these principles do not cause problems and harmonize well.”

The rural study-abroad program will be shifted from a simple experiential type to a residential type to promote stable rural study-abroad.

Superintendent Kim said, “We have received many requests from education families to stop the rural study-abroad program,” suggesting the need for verification of the program.

He pointed out, “Besides budget issues, there were cultural conflicts with students from other regions. In particular, many cases where Jeonnam students left behind after other students departed suffered significant harm.”

He continued, “On the other hand, many projects have already been carried out in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, and since it is effective in responding to regional extinction, there are opinions that caution is needed. This is a representative project that requires thorough analysis and verification of effectiveness and expected outcomes.”

He identified “improving basic academic skills” as the pledge he will prioritize most after taking office.

Superintendent Kim emphasized, “We will first create schools where students study and classrooms where lessons are possible. Classrooms where lessons are possible carry various meanings: there should be no discrimination and equal learning rights must be guaranteed.”

He especially stressed, “Nothing that hinders learning can be tolerated. To this end, teachers’ authority must be guaranteed, and students’ right to lessons must be ensured. Guaranteeing the right to learn is the first step to schools where students study.”

He added, “Raising future educational capabilities and improving educational capacity to create schools where students study is an important task. We will enhance basic academic skills of elementary and middle school students through AI-based personalized learning systems. We also plan to expand training to improve middle school teachers’ college entrance guidance capabilities. We will strengthen the career and college entrance support center and establish a systematic admission system so students can prepare in advance for favorable admission tracks.”