One Month Left Until Seoul Superintendent Election... Both Progressives and Conservatives 'Squeak' Even Before Primaries

Conservatives Face Difficulties from Selecting Unification Body
Progressives Clash Over Primary Rules
Former Education Superintendent Gwak Nohyeon Criticizes Political Sphere Fiercely

With the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education by-election scheduled for the 16th of next month, both conservative and progressive camps are putting their all into 'candidate unification' to secure election victory. However, both camps are facing difficulties even in the preliminary stages before the primaries, such as selecting unification organizations and deciding primary rules. Since unification has been cited as a decisive factor in the outcome of the superintendent election, attention is focused on the negotiation process between the camps.

Conservatives unify their unification organizations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the education sector on the 16th, the conservative camp's unification promotion body, the 'Seoul Superintendent Conservative Candidate Unification Selection and Management Committee,' unified the conservative candidate unification organizations into one on the 13th.

Until now, the organizations pushing for conservative unification in the Seoul Superintendent by-election were divided into the 'Integrated Countermeasures Committee,' the 'Third Conservative Candidate Unification Organization,' and the 'Barun Education National Alliance.'

In response to criticism that there were too many organizations promoting unification, the Integrated Countermeasures Committee and the Third Organization appear to have decided to merge into a single organization. Previously, the conservative camp failed to unify candidates in the last three superintendent elections, resulting in defeats to former Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon.

On the 10th, the Integrated Countermeasures Committee had planned a policy presentation for three preliminary candidates?former lawmaker Cho Jeon-hyeok of the Hannara Party, former Korea Teachers' Union president Ahn Yang-ok, and Korea University professor Hong Hu-jo?but it was canceled. This was due to concerns that holding a policy presentation for only some preliminary candidates before the registration deadline might violate the Public Official Election Act.

Instead, the three participants in the Integrated Countermeasures Committee?former lawmaker Cho, former president Ahn, and professor Hong?agreed on the primary method. First, former president Ahn and former lawmaker Cho will negotiate directly to unify their candidacies, and then the unified candidate will compete with professor Hong through a public opinion poll to select a single candidate. The poll will be conducted twice over three days from the 19th to the 21st via telephone interviews, and the final unified candidate will be announced on the 24th.

Progressives agree on unification but not on election rules

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The progressive camp previously formed a single organization called the '2024 Seoul Democratic Progressive Superintendent Promotion Committee (Promotion Committee).' Eight progressive candidates who declared their intention to run (Kang Shin-man, former vice chairman of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union; Kwak No-hyun, former Seoul Superintendent; Kim Kyung-beom, Seoul National University professor; Kim Yong-seo, chairman of the Teachers' Union Federation; Kim Jae-hong, former president of Seoul Digital University; Ahn Seung-moon, former Seoul Education Commissioner; Jeong Geun-sik, professor emeritus at Seoul National University; and Hong Je-nam, former principal of Oryu Middle School) joined the Promotion Committee in May, promising unification.

Although they expressed their intention to unify early on, the progressive camp has struggled over the primary rules to select a unified candidate. The Promotion Committee had agreed to finalize the unification rules by the 6th, but on the 13th, some candidates protested. Five candidates, excluding former Superintendent Kwak, Chairman Kim, and Professor Jeong, held a press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education criticizing the Promotion Committee. They stated, "The day before, the eight candidates (one conditionally agreed) had agreed on the first-stage primary plan, but the Promotion Committee ignored the candidates' agreement and forced its own plan. Therefore, the five cannot accept the Promotion Committee's plan."

Controversy surrounding the leading progressive candidate, former Superintendent Kwak, continues. Kwak was convicted by the Supreme Court in 2012 for offering 200 million won to an opposing candidate on the condition of candidate unification during the 2010 Seoul Superintendent election, resulting in the loss of his superintendent position. Accordingly, he must return 3.52 billion won in election expenses reimbursed by the National Election Commission, but Kwak has yet to return about 3 billion won of this amount.

The political sphere has raised concerns about this. Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, said, "The appearance of Kwak No-hyun is one of the worst anti-educational scenes in recent history," adding, "We should first recover the 3 billion won and then consider whether Kwak No-hyun should run at all." Jeon Sung-jun, policy chief of the Democratic Party of Korea, also stated, "(Kwak's candidacy) is inappropriate in many ways from the perspective of common sense among citizens," and "I recommend that he reflect soberly from the viewpoint of Seoul citizens and exercise restraint."