Park Jong-hoon, Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education, "Opposes Abolishing Direct Election of Superintendents, Asks to Consider Positive Functions"

Park Jong-hoon, Superintendent of Gyeongnam Office of Education, is speaking about the direct election system for superintendents at the 2023 New Year's press conference. / Photo by Ryeong Lee ryeong@

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] "Please take a closer look at the positive functions of the direct election system for superintendents."

Park Jong-hoon, Superintendent of Education for Gyeongnam, opposed the abolition of the superintendent election at a New Year's press conference on the 12th.

As the chairman of the Special Committee for Responding to the Reform of the Election System of the Council of Superintendents, Superintendent Park expressed his opinion on the introduction of the mayor-superintendent running mate system promoted by the Yoon Seok-yeol administration.

Superintendent Park argued, "It is inappropriate to abolish the system by focusing only on partial dysfunctions such as blind elections and high costs, without considering the numerous positive functions of the direct election system for superintendents."

He added, "Through the direct election system for superintendents, education is moving in a more desirable direction. If there are problems, it is right to amend and supplement them."

He explained, "In a recent public opinion poll conducted by an education-related organization, more than 30% supported maintaining the direct election system, while less than 5% supported the running mate system."

He criticized, "The abolition of the direct election system is merely a check against the increasing power of superintendents."

He also said, "If the running mate system or party recommendation system is implemented, superintendents will file a constitutional complaint. How embarrassing and socially costly it would be if the Constitutional Court ruled it unconstitutional."

Superintendent Park earnestly requested, "I sincerely ask the National Assembly's Special Committee on Political Reform to seriously examine both the positive and negative functions of the direct election system for superintendents and to explore possible ways to improve it."