Overall Landscape: Checks and Balances Amidst Maintaining Continuity in Innovative Education
With the vote counting completed for the superintendent elections held on June 3 in 16 cities and provinces nationwide, progressive candidates were elected in large numbers, gaining the upper hand in the overall landscape. As a result, the momentum for maintaining consistency over the next four years has been secured for the public education innovation initiatives and policies to expand educational welfare that have been pursued over the past several years.
On the other hand, centrist and conservative candidates secured victories in key strategic locations, including traditional conservative strongholds such as Daegu and Gyeongbuk, as well as Chungbuk, Daejeon, and the administrative capital, Sejong. This is interpreted as a result reflecting the pragmatic choices of parents seeking improved academic standards and stability in the educational field, along with a certain degree of sentiment to check progressive-led education policies.
▲ Vote % Status by Superintendent (As of June 4, 12:32)
The Three Major Unique Features of This Election and Figures to Watch
1. The Birth of Sejong's First Female Superintendent of Education and the Expansion of the Centrist Base
One of the regions that attracted the most attention in this election was Sejong Special Self-Governing City. Centrist candidate Kang Mi-ae secured her election with 36.25% of the vote, claiming the title of the first female Superintendent of Education since the establishment of the Sejong Office of Education . With the emergence of Superintendent-elect Kang, the Sejong education sector, which has been led by progressive superintendents for the past 12 years, is expected to undergo a rapid shift toward a centrist pragmatic approach, along with the implementation of education administration centered on meticulous communication.
2. 'First to serve three terms' and 'First in the nation to serve four terms'... Veteran experience shining in fiercely contested districts
In Incheon, Candidate Do Seong-hoon was elected with 36.35% of the vote, setting a historic record as the first candidate to successfully serve three consecutive terms since the introduction of the direct election system for the Incheon Superintendent of Education . This result was achieved by solidifying voter support using the stability of his incumbency, even amidst a fierce multi-candidate race. In Daegu as well, conservative candidate Kang Eun-hee demonstrated her experience by reaching the milestone of a third term with overwhelming support of 52.40%.
In particular, the election of progressive candidate Kim Seok-jun in Busan garnered significant attention after securing a majority of 50.63% of the vote. Having been chosen by voters in the 2014, 2018, and 2025 by-elections, Kim has built an unprecedented monument as the nation's first four-term superintendent of education. Given that this victory was achieved in the heart of the conservative-dominated Yeongnam region, it confirms the pragmatic voting tendencies of Busan citizens who cast their votes based on the candidate's proven competence and the stability of educational administration, rather than ideology.
3. The Triumph of 'Character-Based' and 'Organizational Power'… Seoul's Choice
In Seoul, which was the biggest battleground, progressive candidate Jeong Geun-sik was elected with 30.35% of the vote, fending off fierce pursuit from conservative candidate Jo Jeon-hyeok and retaining the position of head of education in the capital.
Significance of the Election and Future Tasks This superintendent election holds deep significance in that, despite concerns about 'political subjugation,' voters in each region cast their votes for a candidate who presented 'realistic educational alternatives for our children' rather than ideological bias.
However, with many regions still seeing election results in low vote percentages of around 20–30%, the newly elected officials face the challenge of overcoming low representation early in their terms and mending the public sentiment in the education sector that was divided by the election. Furthermore, amidst rapidly changing educational issues such as the introduction of AI digital textbooks, the establishment of Neulbom Schools, and the protection of teachers' rights, a leadership of flexible cooperation and communication that transcends progressive and conservative divides is required more than ever.
