Jeong Geun-sik, the Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, outlined the direction for the second phase of Seoul's education administration during a press conference on July 22. In a subsequent exclusive interview with this publication on July 23, he presented a detailed vision for the future of education in Seoul.
In light of recent controversies, including the popular drama 'True Education' and the situation at Paichai High School, Jeong cautioned against private retribution and unilateral punitive measures. Instead, he proposed 'educational solutions' and 'institutional safeguards' as alternatives.
He declared a new paradigm of 'basic education' that extends beyond traditional primary and secondary education to encompass lifelong learning from early childhood to senior education. Jeong also firmly opposed the trend of reducing educational grants based on declining school-age populations.
In light of recent controversies, including the popular drama 'True Education' and the situation at Paichai High School, Jeong cautioned against private retribution and unilateral punitive measures. Instead, he proposed 'educational solutions' and 'institutional safeguards' as alternatives.
He declared a new paradigm of 'basic education' that extends beyond traditional primary and secondary education to encompass lifelong learning from early childhood to senior education. Jeong also firmly opposed the trend of reducing educational grants based on declining school-age populations.
Addressing School Conflicts Through Dialogue, Not Punishment
The drama 'True Education,' which highlights the decline of educational authority, has gained immense popularity, coinciding with heightened tensions at Paichai High School, leading to increased fatigue within the education sector. While many citizens demand immediate and severe punishment, Superintendent Jeong emphasized the need for a reflective approach to address the underlying issues.
Regarding the recent conflicts in education, including the situation at Paichai High School, Jeong stated, "Simply imposing harsh penalties and criticism will not resolve the fundamental problems. It is essential to engage in rigorous discussions and find common ground, even if it takes time, to address conflicts in an educational manner."
He stressed that the essence of education lies in uniting the educational community and fostering reconciliation rather than succumbing to societal anger through immediate disciplinary actions.
On the phenomenon surrounding the drama 'True Education,' Jeong remarked, "The sensational private retribution and extralegal control depicted in the drama cannot serve as alternatives to real public education. Conflicts in education should be resolved through mutual understanding and public systems that restore broken trust, not through confrontation and punishment."
To this end, he promised to deploy a '100-member legal defense team for teachers' in cases of false child abuse reports and to transition the complaint response system to one led by school principals and educational support offices, ensuring teachers can teach with peace of mind.
Regarding the ongoing debate over student smartphone regulations, Jeong emphasized the importance of voluntary agreements rather than unilateral bans. He noted, "Students desire freedom of use, while parents seek regulation, highlighting the need for intergenerational dialogue. It is best to reach a consensus through discussions among students rather than imposing outright bans."
He added, "While the development of so-called 'Alpha Phones' (education phones) with control features for essential school communication is being considered, we are approaching this cautiously due to concerns about monopolies by specific companies."
Regarding the recent conflicts in education, including the situation at Paichai High School, Jeong stated, "Simply imposing harsh penalties and criticism will not resolve the fundamental problems. It is essential to engage in rigorous discussions and find common ground, even if it takes time, to address conflicts in an educational manner."
He stressed that the essence of education lies in uniting the educational community and fostering reconciliation rather than succumbing to societal anger through immediate disciplinary actions.
On the phenomenon surrounding the drama 'True Education,' Jeong remarked, "The sensational private retribution and extralegal control depicted in the drama cannot serve as alternatives to real public education. Conflicts in education should be resolved through mutual understanding and public systems that restore broken trust, not through confrontation and punishment."
To this end, he promised to deploy a '100-member legal defense team for teachers' in cases of false child abuse reports and to transition the complaint response system to one led by school principals and educational support offices, ensuring teachers can teach with peace of mind.
Regarding the ongoing debate over student smartphone regulations, Jeong emphasized the importance of voluntary agreements rather than unilateral bans. He noted, "Students desire freedom of use, while parents seek regulation, highlighting the need for intergenerational dialogue. It is best to reach a consensus through discussions among students rather than imposing outright bans."
He added, "While the development of so-called 'Alpha Phones' (education phones) with control features for essential school communication is being considered, we are approaching this cautiously due to concerns about monopolies by specific companies."
Lifelong Basic Education for All Ages: Supporting Student Mobility Is Not Handouts
The primary focus of Superintendent Jeong's second term is the establishment of 'basic education.' This represents a paradigm shift where the state takes responsibility for essential education necessary for the sustainability of the national community, going beyond mere knowledge transmission.
Jeong stated, "The essential education for maintaining a healthy democratic republic and ensuring the sustainability of our society is 'basic education.' We must break free from the passive framework of compulsory education that has historically been limited to elementary and middle schools and ensure that the state provides necessary learning throughout the life cycle, from early childhood to senior education." He plans to include early childhood education for children aged 3 to 5 under public education and significantly expand education for parents and seniors, ensuring that the state supports both the beginning and end of the educational journey.
Addressing the looming 'budget freeze' due to declining school-age populations, Jeong expressed concern over the government's and budget authorities' moves to cut local education financial grants. He firmly opposed the economic logic of mechanically reducing educational funding based on declining student numbers, stating, "We cannot close classrooms or halt essential infrastructure investments for school safety simply because the number of students is decreasing. In fact, the areas that public education must cover, such as building AI-based future classrooms, personalized education, and mental health support, have expanded, necessitating increased financial investment."
He also raised his voice against criticisms labeling student public transportation subsidies as 'cash handouts.' Jeong argued, "Attending school is compulsory education; it is natural for the state to support students' mobility, as some walk while others must take transportation due to distance." He criticized the older generation for viewing free rides for seniors over 65 as acceptable while labeling the support for students' mobility as handouts, calling it a painful mistake driven by political calculations.
Jeong stated, "The essential education for maintaining a healthy democratic republic and ensuring the sustainability of our society is 'basic education.' We must break free from the passive framework of compulsory education that has historically been limited to elementary and middle schools and ensure that the state provides necessary learning throughout the life cycle, from early childhood to senior education." He plans to include early childhood education for children aged 3 to 5 under public education and significantly expand education for parents and seniors, ensuring that the state supports both the beginning and end of the educational journey.
Addressing the looming 'budget freeze' due to declining school-age populations, Jeong expressed concern over the government's and budget authorities' moves to cut local education financial grants. He firmly opposed the economic logic of mechanically reducing educational funding based on declining student numbers, stating, "We cannot close classrooms or halt essential infrastructure investments for school safety simply because the number of students is decreasing. In fact, the areas that public education must cover, such as building AI-based future classrooms, personalized education, and mental health support, have expanded, necessitating increased financial investment."
He also raised his voice against criticisms labeling student public transportation subsidies as 'cash handouts.' Jeong argued, "Attending school is compulsory education; it is natural for the state to support students' mobility, as some walk while others must take transportation due to distance." He criticized the older generation for viewing free rides for seniors over 65 as acceptable while labeling the support for students' mobility as handouts, calling it a painful mistake driven by political calculations.
College Entrance Reform and Ensuring Research Rights for Doctorate-Level Teachers: "We Will Not Overlook a Single Student's Well-Being"
Jeong expressed a strong commitment to reforming the college entrance system, which he believes hinders innovation in primary and secondary education. He pointed out the limitations of the current entrance exam system, stating, "The multiple-choice format of the college entrance exam, taken simultaneously by all students nationwide, is not sustainable in the long term. The actual proportion of students entering college based on exam scores is gradually decreasing, so the entrance system must be reformed to fully reflect students' growth and capabilities."
As alternatives, he proposed the establishment of written and essay evaluations and absolute grading, predicting that AI technology could be the key to resolving fairness issues. Jeong explained, "The biggest barrier to written and essay evaluations has been concerns about subjectivity in grading. However, by introducing an AI grading system trained on vast amounts of data, we can significantly alleviate concerns about arbitrary grading and greatly enhance evaluation objectivity."
Regarding the full implementation of the high school credit system, he promised to support the system closely through monitoring to gather schools' concerns and by securing teacher positions based on educational demand and making bold financial investments.
Furthermore, Jeong identified 'teachers' research capabilities' as a core driving force for college entrance reform and future education. He noted that there are over 880 teachers with doctoral degrees in the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, yet teachers in South Korea are often viewed solely as instructors rather than researchers.
He stated, "To teach well, research must accompany teaching. We need to ensure that teachers have time to focus on research and increase practical budget support for teacher learning communities to foster a research culture within the teaching profession."
Finally, Jeong identified 'enhancing students' mental health' as his top priority for his four-year term. He emphasized, "Before learning, children's minds must be healthy for growth and to unlock various possibilities. We must reverse the increasing trend of student suicides driven by excessive academic pressure and feelings of isolation." He added, "To achieve this, we will successfully establish a 'Mental Recovery Campus' that combines healing and learning, ensuring that no child is left behind in a warm educational environment in Seoul."
As alternatives, he proposed the establishment of written and essay evaluations and absolute grading, predicting that AI technology could be the key to resolving fairness issues. Jeong explained, "The biggest barrier to written and essay evaluations has been concerns about subjectivity in grading. However, by introducing an AI grading system trained on vast amounts of data, we can significantly alleviate concerns about arbitrary grading and greatly enhance evaluation objectivity."
Regarding the full implementation of the high school credit system, he promised to support the system closely through monitoring to gather schools' concerns and by securing teacher positions based on educational demand and making bold financial investments.
Furthermore, Jeong identified 'teachers' research capabilities' as a core driving force for college entrance reform and future education. He noted that there are over 880 teachers with doctoral degrees in the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, yet teachers in South Korea are often viewed solely as instructors rather than researchers.
He stated, "To teach well, research must accompany teaching. We need to ensure that teachers have time to focus on research and increase practical budget support for teacher learning communities to foster a research culture within the teaching profession."
Finally, Jeong identified 'enhancing students' mental health' as his top priority for his four-year term. He emphasized, "Before learning, children's minds must be healthy for growth and to unlock various possibilities. We must reverse the increasing trend of student suicides driven by excessive academic pressure and feelings of isolation." He added, "To achieve this, we will successfully establish a 'Mental Recovery Campus' that combines healing and learning, ensuring that no child is left behind in a warm educational environment in Seoul."
Jeong Geun-sik, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, was born...
Jeong Geun-sik, born in 1957 in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, is a sociologist and educator who obtained his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in sociology from Seoul National University after attending Jeonju High School. He began his teaching career as a full-time lecturer in sociology at Chonnam National University in 1985 and dedicated nearly 40 years to nurturing students as a professor at Seoul National University from 2003 to 2023. He has engaged in extensive academic activities, serving as a visiting professor and researcher at institutions such as Harvard University, Kyoto University, the University of Chicago, and Free University of Berlin. In 2004, he served as president of the Korean Society for the History of Sociology. During his tenure at Seoul National University, he held various key positions, including deputy director of the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies, chair of the council, and director of the Institute for Unification and Peace Studies. Since March 2023, he has remained on campus as an emeritus professor. Beyond academia, he has been deeply involved in resolving significant historical issues in Korean society and promoting peace. He served on the Commission on the Truth and Reconciliation for the Japanese Colonial Era in 2005 and chaired the second Truth and Reconciliation Commission from December 2020 for two years, mediating complex social conflicts and fostering reconciliation. Elected as the 23rd Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in October 2024, he successfully secured re-election in this year's election, leading the administration of Seoul education that encompasses the entire life cycle as the 24th Superintendent.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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