Former Education Bureau Director Oh Seokjin: "I Will Lead Change in Daejeon Education Through Extensive On-Site Experience"

"Education that Nurtures People, Realizing Daejeon Education that Satisfies All Five Senses"
"AI-Based Learning Innovation, Fair Educational Environment, and Competency-Based Public Education"

Ok Seokjin, former Director of Education Bureau at Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education (Photo by Mo Seokbong)

Seokjin Oh, former Director of the Education Bureau at the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education, stated, "I will drive change in Daejeon's education system through my extensive on-site experience as an educator."

On the morning of December 11, Oh held a press conference at the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education's press room, where he officially announced his candidacy for the '12th Daejeon Metropolitan City Superintendent of Education Election,' which will be held as part of the nationwide local elections on June 3 next year.

Among the candidates for Daejeon Superintendent of Education, whose candidacies have been discussed both formally and informally, Oh is the most recent to have worked in the field. He presented a five-pronged satisfaction strategy for "Education that Nurtures People, Daejeon Education that Satisfies All Five Senses," focusing on: ▲ educational satisfaction, ▲ safety satisfaction, ▲ welfare satisfaction, ▲ communication satisfaction, and ▲ future satisfaction.

Oh diagnosed, "Daejeon's education, standing at a turning point for change, has seen trust between students, teachers, parents, and the local community collapse due to academic achievement gaps, safety threats, increased demand for care and the burden of private education costs, as well as infringements on teachers' authority caused by malicious civil complaints."

He further emphasized, "Moreover, educational and school autonomy are not functioning sufficiently, and to systematically prepare for the massive changes of the AI era, we must completely transform our approach with the 'Five Satisfaction Strategies for All Five Senses.'"

To this end, Oh stated, "To realize 'Educational Satisfaction in Daejeon Education' through AI-based learning innovation, a fair educational environment, and competency-based public education, I will establish a personalized learning platform based on AI, implement a system to guarantee 100% basic academic proficiency, and expand the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum."

He also said, "For 'Safety Satisfaction in Daejeon Education,' which aims to create a safe and pleasant educational environment for both students and staff, I will develop an integrated safety and life information system based on AI, fully introduce psychological prevention education to prevent school violence, and expand support for integrated bus fees."

Additionally, Oh presented the satisfaction strategy to achieve 'Welfare Satisfaction in Daejeon Education' through inclusive and warm educational welfare, stating, "I will establish after-school complex centers, gradually implement free support for school trips, experiential learning, early childhood education, and childcare, and broaden support for multicultural education."

He announced plans to realize 'Communication Satisfaction in Daejeon Education' through administrative support for education focused on communication and consideration, saying, "I will expand the transparent personnel system, increase basic operating expenses for school autonomy, establish the (tentatively named) Daejeon Citizens' Education Committee, gradually grant budget authority, and institutionalize the participation of parents, teachers, and students through school and village learning networks."

To make Daejeon a world-class educational city and achieve 'Future Satisfaction in Daejeon Education,' he emphasized, "I will lead change by building future-oriented libraries in each district to revitalize the region through culture and education, and establish GPU-based clusters to provide children with tools for the future."

Presenting this paradigm for realizing 'Daejeon Education that Satisfies All Five Senses,' Oh stated, "With nearly 40 years of experience in education-from teaching at general, special-purpose, and specialized high schools to serving as vice principal, principal, supervisor, superintendent, and head of overseas educational institutions, as well as designing education policy as Education Bureau Director-I will leverage my international perspective and turn past shortcomings into strengths to usher in a new era for Daejeon education."

Ok Seokjin, Former Director of Education Bureau at Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education (Photo by Mo Seokbong)

Meanwhile, Oh was born in Gongju, Chungnam, in 1959. He graduated from Gongju National University of Education Attached Elementary School, Bonghwang Middle School, Gongju High School, and the Department of English Education at Gongju National University of Education. He obtained his master's and doctoral degrees from Korea National University of Education Graduate School, as well as a master's degree from Hannam University.

He has served as Director of the Education Bureau at the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education, Principal of Daejeon Goejeong High School, supervisor and superintendent at the Daejeon Metropolitan Office of Education, Director of the Korean Education Center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Vice Principal at Daejeon Songchon Middle and High Schools, and teacher at Seosan Middle School, Hoedeok Middle School, Dongshin High School, Daejeon Science High School, and Chungnam Technical High School. He has also worked as an adjunct professor at Hannam University, Mokwon University, Daejeon University, and Korea National University of Education.

Currently, he is serving as President of the Danjae Shin Chaeho Scholarship Foundation, head of the Happy Education Connection Community, director of the Daejeon Metropolitan Volunteer Association, advisor to the Daejeon Sports Stacking Association, advisory committee member of the Korea Disabled Persons Photo Content Association, advisory committee member of the Korean Red Cross, president of the Cheongam Lions Club in District 356-B, and professor of external cooperation at Paichai University.