Gyeongnam Superintendent Conservative-Moderate Coalition Holds Candidate Debate ... Only Two Attend

A candidate debate for the conservative and moderate candidate unification coalition for the Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education was held on the 22nd in the conference room on the 2nd floor of the Gyeongnam Teachers' Association.

Only Kwon Sungki, former president of Gyeongsang National University, and Choi Byunghun, former director of the Education Policy Bureau at the Gyeongnam Office of Education, who passed the first round of public opinion polls and are subject to the second round, attended the event.

The other candidates, Kim Sangkwon, former director of the Education Bureau at the Gyeongnam Office of Education, and Kim Youngkon, former deputy minister at the Ministry of Education, recently announced their withdrawal from coalition events, citing the failure to disclose the results of the first public opinion poll as promised and the leak of some statistical data used at the announcement site.

A candidate debate for the conservative and moderate candidates' unification coalition for the Gyeongnam Superintendent of Education was held in the second-floor conference room of the Gyeongnam Teachers' Association. Photo by Lee Seryoung

During the debate, which was recorded for YouTube, Kwon and Choi presented their solutions and policies on major issues such as the decline in basic academic skills among Gyeongnam students, conflicts in the education field including infringements on teachers' rights, and problems with the Gyeongnam Office of Education's student smart device project, "iBook."

In his opening statement, Kwon emphasized, "Last year, Gyeongnam ranked first among non-metropolitan regions in economic power and population, but education and educational fiscal soundness remain among the lowest nationwide. I will make Gyeongnam a hub for future education through character education, eliminating educational gaps between schools and regions, improving academic achievement, normalizing educational finances, implementing artificial intelligence (AI) education based on humanistic imagination, and internationalization of education."

Choi stated, "Currently, voices from the field point to a decline in basic academic skills, concerns about classroom collapse, and anxiety about preparing for the future. I will create a new Gyeongnam education system that restores the joy of learning for students and the sense of fulfillment for teachers, focusing solely on the goal of children's learning and growth, beyond political factions and ideologies."

Former Gyeongsang National University President Soonki Kwon (left) and Former Director of Educational Policy Bureau at Gyeongnam Office of Education Byunghun Choi. Photo by Se-ryung Lee

Afterwards, the two engaged in a heated exchange during the candidate qualification review, debating issues such as suspicions of preferential university admission for Kwon's child through research papers, controversies over the large number of papers published during Kwon's presidency, and whether Choi would remain in the race given his history of working at the main office under a progressive superintendent.

Choi raised suspicions that Kwon's son, who was a high school student at the time, was listed as the first author on a paper co-authored with Kwon's wife, a university professor, and questioned whether the son used this as a "parental advantage" to gain early admission to a university in Seoul.

In response, Kwon countered, "The paper was written through a nationally certified research and education (R&E) program, for which the student applied directly and followed the designated procedures. It would be wrong to exclude my son just because he was selected through his high school club. This matter has been investigated several times during my public service, and it has been verified that there were no issues."

Choi also pointed out that Kwon published about 70 papers during his presidency from 2011 to 2015, saying, "I believe it is impossible to publish nearly 20 papers a year while serving as university president."

Kwon explained, "I conducted joint research with other university professors and my own students, and I was listed as an author because I made a substantial contribution. In fact, being omitted as an author would constitute improper authorship."

Kwon then questioned whether Choi, who served as a bureau director at the education office and main office under the current progressive superintendent, would fully commit to the conservative and moderate unification process.

Choi replied, "For civil servants, personnel appointments are often made with just a single sheet of paper. In games or sports, once rules are set, they must be followed, even in the event of a natural disaster. My conviction to uphold principles and rules throughout the unification process remains unchanged."

In closing, Choi said, "Having started as a classroom teacher and gained experience as a school administrator and in educational administration and policy, I will take full responsibility and see through the path of Gyeongnam education, where the basics of learning are established, fair opportunities are guaranteed, and local communities and schools are revitalized."

Kwon stated, "At this critical juncture that will determine the fate of Gyeongnam education, we can no longer sacrifice the future of our children. I will usher in an era of inspiring education that brings the joy of learning to students, creates an environment where teachers can teach with peace of mind, and provides parents with schools they can trust."

The coalition plans to conduct a public opinion poll over two days, January 28 and 29, and confirm the final unified candidate on January 30.