The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education refuted allegations of election interference raised by the Jeonnam branch of the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) regarding the recruitment of members for the "(tentative) Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Education Vision Committee," stating that the initiative was legitimate educational administration conducted after prior consultation and review by the National Election Commission.
In a clarification released on the 12th, the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education explained, "We are pursuing the establishment of the 'Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Education Vision Committee' to gather wide-ranging opinions and create a forum for public discourse on education integration based on citizen participation in preparation for the launch of Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City."
The office added, "We sought close consultation with the Jeonnam Provincial Election Commission to preemptively prevent any potential violations of the Public Official Election Act in the committee's formation and operation process. We received prior review through phone consultations and official correspondence regarding the committee's operational purpose, promotional methods, and member recruitment procedures, and proceeded only after confirming that there were no legal violations in our plans."
According to sources, the Election Commission indicated that the committee formation itself posed no significant problems but advised the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education to exercise extreme caution regarding budget support and related matters.
The office specifically emphasized, "The card news containing the phrase 'Future Education Special City Created Together with Superintendent Kim Dae-jung,' which sparked controversy, was neither produced internally nor officially distributed. We only provided neutral policy information through our official website and public announcement channels. Despite these circumstances, it is unjust to claim the education office interfered in elections based on unverified materials circulated externally."
An official from the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education expressed regret, stating, "We express regret over the situation where educational administration is being escalated into political controversy in the process of preparing for the future of Jeonnam education. We will continue to broadly listen to residents' opinions and operate the committee transparently while thoroughly complying with relevant laws and procedures."
Meanwhile, the Jeonnam branch of the KTU claimed in a statement released the same day, "The open recruitment of members for the '(tentative) Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City Education Vision Committee' being pursued by the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education could undermine the political neutrality of educational administration and the fairness of elections."
