Ahn Min-suk, who ran as the unified progressive candidate for Gyeonggi Province Superintendent of Education in the 9th nationwide local elections, has clinched the position by defeating incumbent conservative candidate Lim Tae-hee, drawing attention to his distinctive career spanning teaching, academia, and the National Assembly.
Born in Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang Province in 1966, Ahn graduated from the College of Education at Seoul National University and began his career as a middle school social studies teacher. He later earned a doctorate in education from the University of Northern Colorado in the United States and, upon returning to Korea, served as a professor at Chung-Ang University.
After his career in education and academia, Ahn entered politics by winning a National Assembly seat representing Osan, Gyeonggi Province, in the 17th general election in 2004. He went on to win five consecutive terms in the same district, serving as a lawmaker for 20 years.
During his tenure in the National Assembly, Ahn focused on education policy. He served multiple terms on the parliamentary Education Committee, where he participated in deliberations on education-related legislation and policy, addressing issues such as school sports promotion, free school meals, student rights, and transparency in private school management. In the latter half of the 20th National Assembly, he chaired the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, overseeing cultural and sports policy.
Ahn ended his five-term legislative career after being cut from the Democratic Party of Korea's nomination process ahead of the 22nd general election in 2024.
He subsequently spent time in Berkeley, California, researching educational changes in the artificial intelligence (AI) era and future education policy, before returning to Korea to serve as a chair professor at Myongji University.
Ahn left the Democratic Party of Korea last year to run for superintendent and was selected as the final candidate this year through a progressive unified candidacy process. After being confirmed as the unified candidate through a primary against Yoo Eun-hae, Park Hyo-jin, and Sung Ki-sun, he campaigned across Gyeonggi Province's 31 cities and counties, meeting with parents, teachers, and students.
Ahn is regarded as having well-rounded credentials in education, with experience as a teacher, professor, and lawmaker. At the same time, his lengthy political career has sparked debate over the political neutrality required of the superintendent's office.
Having begun his career as a middle school teacher, Ahn has now reached the top post at the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education after passing through classrooms, universities, and politics. His core pledges include establishing an AI education system; implementing free LAS education, a holistic education model centered on Literacy, Arts, and Sports; the "Seed Education Fund," which would provide 1 million won to every first-year middle school student to be entrusted to a fund and returned with interest upon high school graduation; securing basic political rights for teachers; and reforming college admissions.
In his victory speech, Ahn pledged to "lead the Lee Jae-myung administration's education reform from the front in Gyeonggi Province." Branding himself an "Edu-Politician" throughout the campaign, he expressed confidence in addressing education issues, saying, "Educators who don't understand interest groups and politicians who don't know the field both fail to solve problems, which is why an edu-politician can do well as superintendent."
