Kim Yongtae, Former Head of Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Citizen School, Announces Candidacy for Gwangju Superintendent of Education

"Gwangju's Education at a Standstill: Restoring Trust and Shifting to People-Centered Education"

Kim Yongtae, former head of the Gwangju Regional Committee of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Citizen School, held a press conference at the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education on the 23rd, officially announcing his candidacy for Gwangju Superintendent of Education. He stated, "Gwangju's education is currently at a standstill," and added, "I will lead a major transformation in Gwangju's education by restoring lost trust and hope, and by creating an education system that nurtures people and serves everyone."

Kim Yongtae, former head of the Gwangju Regional Committee of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation Citizen School, is declaring his candidacy for Gwangju Superintendent of Education at the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education on the 23rd.

Kim Yongtae, who is running for superintendent, is an education field expert with 30 years of experience as a teacher, principal, head of the Gwangju branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union, and former head of the Gwangju Citizen School of the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation. He said, "From student activism and labor movements during my university years to educational activism after becoming a teacher, all my experiences have led to the conclusion that 'education for life' is essential."

He identified the collapse of trust as the core crisis facing Gwangju's education today. Kim pointed out, "Gwangju's education has suffered greatly due to declining integrity and uncommunicative administration," and pledged, "I will restore the honor of Gwangju's education as a model of integrity through effective anti-corruption measures and democratic educational administration."

He also presented the restoration of teachers' rights and students' right to learn as key priorities. He stated, "Rebuilding the authority of teachers is the starting point for protecting students' right to learn," and announced plans to establish a superintendent-led mobile teacher protection team and operate student-integrated support teams at each school to rebuild trust among teachers, students, and parents. He also proposed strengthening character education, combating fake news, and fostering critical thinking skills to create a more dignified school culture.

Kim outlined strategies for personalized student education and responding to the AI era. He emphasized, "Every student's dream should be respected within public education," and pledged to assign admissions and employment specialists to general and vocational high schools, as well as to establish a special education center. He also promised to strengthen human-centered digital education by building AI smart classrooms, learning support rooms, and smart libraries, and by supporting AI learning programs at the education office level. In addition, he vowed to create a Gwangju-style after-school education and care system in collaboration with the local community.