Mayor Kang Gijung and Superintendent Lee Jeongseon to Discuss 'Education Integration' Linked to Administrative Merger

Meeting Held Amid Accelerating Integration Talks and Concerns Over Gaps in Education
Gwangju and Jeonnam Education Offices Begin Discussions on Unification

As discussions on the administrative integration of Gwangju and Jeonnam are gaining momentum, talks regarding the integration of the education sector are also set to begin. On the afternoon of January 7, Gwangju Mayor Kang Gijung and Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Lee Jeongseon will meet at Gwangju City Hall to discuss the direction of education integration following the administrative merger.

Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education.

According to the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education, Superintendent Lee officially requested a meeting with Mayor Kang's office the previous day to discuss education integration in light of the administrative merger, and Mayor Kang's office accepted the request. This meeting aims to prevent the education sector from being sidelined amid the accelerating political discussions on administrative integration and to begin policy preparations.

Superintendent Lee stated, "I believe that education integration should be discussed in tandem with the direction of administrative integration," adding, "Since education integration following administrative unification is an essential issue that must be addressed, I thought it was necessary to begin discussions as soon as possible."

Following this meeting, the city office of education plans to meet with Kim Daejung, Superintendent of Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, as early as the third week of this month to exchange views on education integration.

Previously, Superintendent Kim Daejung requested discussions on the Gwangju-Jeonnam administrative integration to the Gwangju Metropolitan Office of Education during a New Year's press conference and also proposed a plan to elect a unified superintendent in the upcoming local elections in June.

Superintendent Lee said, "I will do my best to ensure that education integration can proceed in a way that protects the autonomy and expertise of education and the learning rights of students, while minimizing any negative side effects."