The Seoul Superintendent of Education Election Grows Bigger... 'Candidate Unification' Officially Begins

Over 10 Progressive and Conservative Candidates Declare Candidacy
Single Candidate Endorsed Through Unification Organizations in Each Camp

With about a month remaining until the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent by-election, progressive and conservative figures in the education sector are increasingly announcing their candidacies. As candidate unification is expected to determine the outcome, moves toward unification between the camps are also being observed.

On the 5th, progressive-leaning former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Gwak Nohyeon, conservative-leaning former Hannara Party lawmaker Jo Jeonhyeok, and former Korea Teachers' Union chairman Ahn Yangok will hold a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to declare their candidacies.

In particular, on the morning of the same day, eight progressive education superintendent candidates are scheduled to hold a press conference through the Seoul Democratic Progressive Education Superintendent Promotion Committee to announce their agreement on candidate unification. As of the previous day, the final participating candidates registered with the committee are Kang Sinman, former vice chairman of the National Teachers' Union; Gwak Nohyeon, former superintendent; Kim Gyeongbeom, professor at Seoul National University; Kim Yongseo, chairman of the Teachers' Labor Union Federation; Kim Jaehong, former president of Seoul Digital University; Ahn Seungmun, former Seoul Metropolitan Education Committee member; Jeong Geunsik, professor emeritus at Seoul National University; and Hong Jenam, former principal of Seoul Oryu Middle School. They plan to select a unified candidate through a primary election by the 18th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In fact, within the education sector, whether the conservative and progressive camps unify is expected to determine the election's outcome. Previously, the conservative camp failed to unify in the 2014, 2018, and 2022 superintendent elections, resulting in defeats to former Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Cho Heeyeon.

So far, Seo Boseon, a Seoul Metropolitan Education Committee member who has not expressed intention to participate in the promotion committee, and Bang Hyunseok, professor at Chung-Ang University and author of the novel "Beomdo," are also known to have declared their candidacies.

The conservative education sector is also forming a candidate pool. In addition to former lawmaker Jo Jeonhyeok and former chairman Ahn Yangok, former Liberty Forward Party lawmaker Park Seonyeong has also expressed intention to run. Former Seoul Northern Education Superintendent Seon Jongbok has declared his candidacy and expressed willingness to participate in conservative candidate unification.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The "Barun Education National Union" is promoting candidate unification. The Barun Education National Union includes about 100 parent and civic organizations such as the National Parents' Association. The union plans to accept candidates participating in unification by mid-month, hold candidate debates, and select a unified candidate through public opinion polling by the 23rd.

According to the National Election Commission, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent by-election will be held on October 16. The superintendent election will take place in Seoul, while elections for heads of basic local governments will be held in Geumjeong-gu, Busan; Ganghwa-gun, Incheon; Yeonggwang-gun, Jeonnam; and Gokseong-gun, Jeonnam. Candidate registration will be held over two days from September 26 to 27, and election campaigning will be allowed starting October 3.