Superintendent Kim Daejung of Jeonnam: "Teachers Focus on Teaching... Completing K-Education"

62.2% of Parents, 76.4% of Staff "Satisfied"
Nation's First Education Allowance and Independent 2030 Classroom Policy Gain Attention
Glocal Education Accelerates with K-Food and Multicultural Centers

The major educational policies of the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education have received overall positive evaluations, and the momentum for policy implementation under Superintendent Kim Daejung's leadership appears to be further strengthened.

On July 3, marking his third year in office, Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Kim Daejung held a press conference at the Provincial Office of Education and stated, "We will reorganize the educational field so that teachers can focus on their core educational roles, and we will complete the Jeonnam-style K-Education system that integrates life, study, and career."

Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Kim Daejung is explaining the achievements of educational policies and future policy directions at the 3rd anniversary press conference. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

On this day, Superintendent Kim presented his policy direction centered on the keyword 'Glocal Jeonnam Education,' declaring, "Based on the achievements of educational policies over the past three years, we will realize a K-Education model in Jeonnam that will represent South Korea." He referred to the results of a survey on current educational issues and Jeonnam education policies announced by the Jeonnam Educational Policy Research Institute in May, and outlined both policy achievements and future directions.

Superintendent Kim emphasized, "The satisfaction survey on Jeonnam education policies conducted among Jeonnam residents, parents, and staff received positive evaluations," and added, "The response rate indicating overall satisfaction with Glocal Jeonnam Education, which aims for coexistence between the local community and the world, was 62.2% among parents, 53.9% among Jeonnam residents, and 76.4% among staff."

According to the survey conducted by Jeonnam Educational Policy Research Institute through Hangil Research Co., Ltd., overall policy satisfaction was 62.2% among parents, 53.9% among residents, and 76.4% among staff, representing increases of 8.8 percentage points, 13.0 percentage points, and 9.2 percentage points respectively compared to the previous year. Superintendent Kim cited the following as the most positively evaluated policies: the Jeonnam Student Education Allowance, the Glocal Expo, the expansion of foreign student recruitment, and the 2030 Classroom Policy.

He stated, "These four policies are areas that no other office of education or the central government has been able to pursue," and added, "It was a challenge only possible in Jeonnam, and this became the starting point for a major educational transformation unique to Jeonnam." In fact, the Jeonnam Student Education Allowance, which was introduced for the first time nationwide, is attracting attention as a benchmarking case for other provincial and metropolitan offices of education, as it simultaneously satisfies two goals: supporting students' learning activities and revitalizing the local economy.

To ensure that policy achievements are sustained in the field, the Provincial Office of Education is accelerating efforts to create an environment where teachers can focus on teaching and student guidance. Each city and county's School Comprehensive Support Center will be responsible for 23 types of school administrative tasks, including field trip management and CCTV operations. In addition, 31 staff members, secured by downsizing the main office, will be assigned to schools in the field.

Jeonnam Superintendent of Education Kim Daejung emphasized 'K-Education' and promised to make Jeonnam education the representative brand of educational innovation in South Korea. Photo by Lee Jungkyung

Superintendent Kim stressed, "We take seriously the reality that educational activity disruptions are concentrated in certain areas," and emphasized, "We will refine the teacher protection system in a more detailed manner." Regarding the issue of teacher staffing, he urged the central government to improve the system, stating, "It is necessary to introduce a basic staffing system tailored to local conditions and to improve customized teacher training programs."

The keyword Superintendent Kim emphasized most at this press conference was 'glocal.' The Provincial Office of Education is currently promoting integrated education that highlights Jeonnam's unique characteristics, including world citizenship education based on K-culture such as pansori and gugak, AI-based personalized classes, and ecological and environmental education. In 2028, the Jeonnam K-Food Education Center will be established in Gokseong, Jeonnam, and the establishment of both the Glocal Multicultural Integrated Education Center and the (tentatively named) K-Education Center is also underway.

To realize regionally-based educational autonomy, the Jeonnam-style 'Glocal Small School' model will be introduced, and Jeonnam Future International High School, scheduled to open in 2026, is set to establish itself as a specialized vocational high school.

Superintendent Kim stated, "We will further strengthen education that integrates technology and character to usher in a new era of skilled professionals," and identified the enhancement of vocational education based on the 'employment-first, study-later' system as a key task. To this end, the 2nd Jeollanam-do Public-Private-Industry-Academia Education Cooperation Committee has also been launched.

At the end of the press conference, Superintendent Kim said, "It is said that when you bring joy to those close to you, even those far away will come. If education brings hope to the region, talented people from around the world will turn to Jeonnam," and added, "We will make Jeonnam education the representative brand of educational innovation in South Korea."

Jeonnam continues to experiment and take on new challenges in education. Whether these experiments will become the future of the nation remains to be seen, as Superintendent Kim's 'Jeonnam-style K-Education' faces its test.