[Profile] Jeong Geun-sik, New Seoul Superintendent of Education... Progressive Sociologist Background

Who is Jeong Geun-sik, the Elected Candidate?

Jeong Geun-sik, who was elected as the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent in the October 16 by-election, is a progressive sociologist.

Born in 1957 in Iksan, Jeonbuk, he entered the Department of Sociology at Seoul National University and earned his master's and doctoral degrees at Dong-A University Graduate School. He then began his academic career at Chonnam National University in 1985, serving as a sociology professor at both Chonnam National University and Seoul National University, dedicating himself to education.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

At that time, he devoted himself to research on the May 18 Democratic Movement as a historian. In particular, he served as the chairman of the Gwangju Human Rights Charter Establishment Committee, contributing to the creation of the Gwangju Human Rights Charter. He also held positions such as president of the Korean Society for Social History, president of the Critical Sociology Society, and president of the Korean Cold War Society.

He also participated in government agency activities related to historical research. During the Roh Moo-hyun administration, he served as a non-standing member of the Presidential Committee on the Truth Commission on Anti-Japanese and Anti-National Acts. During the Lee Myung-bak administration, he served as the director of the Korean Democracy Research Institute at the Memorial Foundation for the Democratization Movement. Under the Moon Jae-in administration, he served as the chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a ministerial-level position, helping to uncover the truth about the Seongam Academy issue after 40 years of closure.

Jeong Geun-sik is

▲ Born in 1957 in Iksan, Jeonbuk ▲ Jeonju High School ▲ Department of Sociology, Seoul National University ▲ Sociology professor at Chonnam National University and Seoul National University ▲ Chairman of the 2nd Truth and Reconciliation Commission ▲ Non-standing member of the Presidential Committee on the Truth Commission on Anti-Japanese and Anti-National Acts ▲ Director of the Northeast Asia Center at the Asia Institute of Seoul National University ▲ Director of the Korean Democracy Research Institute at the Memorial Foundation for the Democratization Movement