Jo Hee-yeon Former Superintendent Statement Signed, 68 Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education District Superintendents Investigated

Seoul City Council People Power Party Holds Special Committee Meeting to Investigate Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's Illegal Activities
Plans to Investigate Overall Illegal Matters of the Education Office for Normalizing Seoul Education

The Special Committee for Investigation of Illegal Activities under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education appointed Assemblyman Lee Seung-bok (Yangcheon 4) as the chairperson and held its first meeting on October 7.

The committee members include Assemblyman Kwak Hyang-gi (Dongjak 3), Assemblyman Kim Gyu-nam (Songpa 1), Assemblywoman Kim Hye-young (Gwangjin 4), Assemblyman Moon Seong-ho (Seodaemun 2), Assemblywoman Lee Kyung-sook (Dobong 1), Assemblyman Lee Jong-bae (Proportional), Assemblyman Lee Hyo-won (Proportional), Assemblywoman Lee Hee-won (Dongjak 4), and Assemblyman Hwang Cheol-gyu (Seongdong 4).

Earlier, the People Power Party’s floor leader group (Representative Assemblyman Lee Seong-bae) issued a statement demanding a clear investigation into the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education officials who issued a statement regarding the Supreme Court ruling on former Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon. They also visited the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to protest and notified that if appropriate measures were not established regarding the matter, the Seoul Metropolitan Council would proceed with its own investigation and procedures.

Accordingly, on the 4th, the People Power Party in the Seoul Metropolitan Council formed a special committee at the party level (tentatively named) the Special Committee for Investigation of Unfair Hiring at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to investigate issues such as illegal hiring and violations of political neutrality by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

This Special Committee meeting involved questions and answers concerning 68 individuals (currently 65) affiliated with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education who were involved in illegal hiring related to the Supreme Court ruling on former Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon and who signed the statement, as well as plans for future measures.

Chairman Lee Seung-bok stated, “Since the illegal hiring by the superintendent has been confirmed by the court ruling, the hiring decisions made through such unlawful administrative acts are naturally null and void. Therefore, the three illegally hired teachers should have resigned. That would have been the honorable stance as teachers.” He added, “It is also judged that there were multiple illegalities during the previous superintendent’s tenure. The Special Committee is a place to face these issues and discuss solutions to prevent recurrence in the absence of a current superintendent. Matters discussed by the Special Committee are considered issues for the newly appointed superintendent to handle.”

The Special Committee plans to continue investigations and inquiries not only into illegal hiring by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education but also into unlawful and unfair actions by the education officials who participated in the statement. For the next meeting, the committee has requested the attendance of the three illegally hired individuals as witnesses from the Office of Education.