Kim Seok-jun won the Busan superintendent of education race in the June 3 local elections, becoming the first popularly elected education superintendent in Busan's history to serve a fourth term. The future direction of Busan's education is expected to be reshaped around artificial intelligence (AI)-based future education and the strengthening of education welfare that Kim has pursued.
Kim is a former educational scholar who served as a professor at Pusan National University's College of Education for 31 years. After serving as the third and fourth popularly elected Busan education superintendent, he returned to the post through a by-election in April last year. With his victory in this election, he set the record as Busan's first four-term education superintendent.
The election unfolded as a fierce contest between conservative and progressive camps, but voters ultimately sided with proven administrative experience, observers said. Analysts say the combination of incumbent advantage and public sentiment favoring continuity in education policies pursued over the past nine years translated into votes.
Throughout the campaign, Kim appealed for support by emphasizing he was "the candidate who knows Busan education best and has changed it." He drew attention from parents and the education community by presenting the establishment of a future education system combining AI and digital technologies, the resolution of education gaps, and the expansion of education welfare as his core pledges.
Accordingly, the AI future education policy pursued by the Busan Office of Education is expected to gain further momentum. Kim said, "We will expand education using generative AI, build a foundation for regional AI and maker education, and promote region-specific education combining marine big data and AI." Education welfare policies, including the full provision of free school trip and field learning expenses, are also expected to be expanded.
However, the challenges facing Kim are not few. The biggest variable is legal risk.
Kim was indicted on charges of specially hiring teachers dismissed from the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union (KTU) and was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial. Since the sentence amounts to loss of the superintendent post, concerns are being raised that the stability of education administration could be affected depending on the outcome of the appellate trial.
Indeed, in this election, the conservative camp went on the offensive by intensively raising Kim's legal risk. In response, Kim said, "It is the result of targeted audits by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's Board of Audit and Inspection and politically motivated indictments by the prosecution," adding, "I will sufficiently explain in the appellate trial so that citizens' concerns do not materialize."
Local education circles assess that Kim's re-election has secured policy continuity in Busan education, while viewing the resolution of legal risk as the factor that will determine the success or failure of future education reform.
"I will prove with verified capability and skill that the citizens' choice was right," Kim said. "I will create a Busan education that gives hope to children, pride to teachers, and trust to parents."
