Seoul Superintendent of Education: ”We need a Minister of Education who can be trusted by the education field”

Seoul Metropolitan Superintendent of Education Jeong Geun-sik has indirectly urged Lee Jin-sook, candidate for Minister of Education, to withdraw her nomination. On the 20th, Superintendent Jeong posted on his social media, "For the better future of students,
"We need a Minister of Education who has the trust and support of all those dedicated to primary, secondary and higher education."
He said, "The new administration's Minister of Education should be responsible for kindergarten, primary and secondary education, and university education.
"We have a responsibility to take the lead in solving the challenges of the coming era by comprehensively addressing them," he said. "We must address the issues facing Korean society and the region, such as the decline in the school-age population, the educational disparity between regions, the development of artificial intelligence (AI), and the climate crisis."
"None of the challenges presented by the structural changes on a global scale are easy," he said. "In order for the new education minister to take the lead in resolving these problems, he must have the support of the education sector and society."
"Firm trust is essential," he added. "Many people who watched the recent National Assembly personnel hearings expressed their disappointment and concern to me," he said.
"I hope that this pointless controversy will come to an end as soon as possible," he said. "I await the wise decision of the new administration, which was launched with the wishes of democratic citizens in mind."
This is interpreted as a roundabout way of encouraging Lee Jin-sook to withdraw her nomination. Lee has been accused of "stealing her student's thesis."
There are calls from all quarters for him to voluntarily withdraw from the program. Not only the National Teachers' Union, but also the progressive professors and researchers' group "National Council of Professors and Researchers for a Democratic and Equal Society" are among the voices calling for him to voluntarily withdraw from the program.
have also issued a statement calling for the withdrawal of Candidate Lee's nomination.