Ahead of last year's Seoul Superintendent of Education by-election, candidate Chung Keun-sik personally confirmed to reporters that he is a person of merit for the 5·18 Democratization Movement. The photo shows his name, serial number, and personal profile listed in the '1st and 2nd List of Persons of Merit for the 5·18 Democratization Movement' obtained by reporters at the time. / Photo = Reporter Heo Gyeom.

As Seoul Superintendent of Education Chung Keun-sik (68, pictured) faces backlash over his politically biased conduct, calls for his resignation are gaining momentum, following his own admission that he has received various government benefits as a "person of merit for the 5·18 Democratization Movement." 

The situation escalated when Superintendent Chung recently participated in a campaign that labeled anti-China protests as hate speech. 

Seoul Superintendent of Education Chung Keun-sik. Yonhap News. Having remained silent on anti-American and anti-Japanese demonstrations, his participation in a campaign defining anti-communist protests as hate speech led civic groups to hold a press conference to strongly condemn his behavior. 

Furthermore, concerns regarding the integrity of his election, which critics claim involved statistically inexplicable anomalies and "election fraud benefits" during last year’s Seoul Superintendent election, have fueled growing demands for his resignation. 

Parental, youth, and educational organizations—including the Institute for Health, Academic, and Human Rights (Bo-In), the National Association of School Parents, Liberty University, the Headquarters for Establishing Proper Education, and the National Hope Education Solidarity—held a protest press conference in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in Jongno-gu at 11 a.m. on the 24th, sharply criticizing the Superintendent for allegedly violating political neutrality. 

Representatives and citizens at the event displayed a banner asking, "Are anti-American and anti-Japanese protests acceptable, while anti-China protests are problematic?" and harshly criticized Superintendent Chung for conduct that they argue is overtly biased. 

Superintendent Chung previously ignited immediate backlash by conducting an anti-hate campaign at an elementary school in Guro-gu, Seoul, where many students have immigrant backgrounds. This was perceived as slandering the patriotism and anti-communist demonstrations of groups like Liberty University as "anti-China hate rallies." During the National Assembly audit on the 20th, he faced intense questioning from People Power Party lawmakers, including Kim Min-jeon and Seo Ji-young. Superintendent Chung attempted a weak excuse, stating, "Anti-China protests are continuing in areas like Myeong-dong," and that his intent was to "prevent the possibility of such protests occurring elsewhere."

As the controversy grows, public opinion is increasingly focusing on the contradictory behavior of the political left. Critics point out that Superintendent Chung remained silent while groups like 'Candlelight Action' and the 'Korean University Student Progressive Union' engaged in anti-American rhetoric, such as "Yankee Go Home," "Beat up Trump," and "Remove US Imperialism," and tore up the Stars and Stripes, suggesting his bias is responsible for these contradictory actions. 

Parental, youth, and educational organizations, including the Institute for Health, Academic, and Human Rights (Bo-In), the National Association of School Parents, Liberty University, the Headquarters for Establishing Proper Education, and the National Hope Education Solidarity, hold a press conference condemning Chung Keun-sik in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 24th. / Provided by Bo-In.

Moreover, compared to his refusal to comment on the hate speech directed at citizens who oppose the "Wednesday Demonstrations" held by groups like the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan—which have been criticized for being based on "anti-Japanese tribalism"—his participation in a campaign that unilaterally defines opposition to communism as hate speech is viewed as a significant dereliction of his duty as an educator to remain neutral. 

Protest participants struck back, stating, "For a superintendent who has never expressed a position on anti-American or anti-Japanese protests to suddenly conduct a campaign against anti-China protests—using the excuse of requests from local school principals—is clearly a selective and biased response." 

They continued, "Superintendent Chung, as the head of Seoul’s educational administration, should be a role model for students and teachers. His recent words and actions are not only unbecoming of an education chief but also show a complete disregard for the dignity and political neutrality expected of a high-ranking official." They sharply criticized him, adding, "Labeling anti-communist protests led by youth and citizens as anti-China hate rallies and launching an anti-hate campaign is highly inappropriate and biased behavior for a superintendent." 

Participants further declared, "Superintendent Chung drove the 'CCP OUT' anti-Chinese Communist Party rally as a hate rally and immediately launched a counter-campaign. However, he has remained consistently silent on the anti-American protests that have repeatedly occurred in front of the U.S. Embassy or the anti-Japanese rallies centered around the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the past 30 years." They labeled this "a typical double standard and selective criticism," noting that he expresses hostility toward criticism of specific ideologies and countries that are politically burdensome to him, while remaining silent on others. 

The participants further demanded the immediate resignation of Superintendent Chung. 

"Any citizen of the Republic of Korea must be concerned about the various maneuvers the Chinese Communist Party is conducting in South Korea. The Superintendent of Education is required to maintain political neutrality and uphold the trust and fairness of public education under the State Public Officials Act and the Local Education Autonomy Act," they argued. "By using an educational campaign to criticize and politically exploit protests that point out the serious social problems caused by Chinese nationals in South Korea, Superintendent Chung has abused the administrative power of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and abandoned his responsibility as an educator to teach students critical thinking and a balanced perspective." They strongly called for his resignation and demanded measures to prevent recurrence. 

Kim Moon-hee, representative of the Institute for Health, Academic, and Human Rights, expressed her frustration as a civic group leader and parent after the press conference, stating, "We requested a meeting with the Superintendent, but given his demonstrated bias, it is unlikely to happen." 

One participant commented, "The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education should focus on policies that prioritize the values of democracy, freedom of expression, and student safety, rather than catering to specific countries or ideological biases," adding that "an individual superintendent's political convictions or diplomatic preferences must never be reflected in educational policy." 

Another participant remarked, "No matter how much one favors leftist ideologies, it is intolerable for an official responsible for educating future generations in a country that survives on the ROK-US alliance to turn a blind eye to anti-American and anti-Japanese protests while actively suppressing only anti-China protests," and warned, "Before he teaches anyone else, Superintendent Chung’s own mindset needs to be corrected." 

Kim Moon-hee (center), representative of the Institute for Health, Academic, and Human Rights (Bo-In), speaks at a press conference held in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 24th, together with Liberty University leadership and other parent, youth, and education groups, to condemn Chung Keun-sik. / Provided by Bo-In.

Meanwhile, ahead of last year's Seoul Superintendent by-election (Oct. 16), Superintendent Chung personally confirmed to reporters during a phone call while he was working at his previous media organization that "it is true that I am a person of merit for the 5·18 Democratization Movement." 

It was discovered that his name is inscribed on the black stone plaque located at row 142, column 16 of the memorial wall at the 5·18 Memorial Park, appearing on the '1st and 2nd List of Persons of Merit for the 5·18 Democratization Movement' exclusively obtained by reporters at the time. 

When asked by reporters—in the context of his incarceration—whether he became a person of merit as a result of that experience, he briefly answered "Yes," officially acknowledging his status, which had raised questions about the suitability of a candidate who serves as the head of education for Seoul's students. 

This marked the first time it was confirmed that the official responsible for public education in Seoul is a person of merit for the 5·18 movement. 

This fueled fears that the ideologies and thoughts of impressionable students could be distorted, and concerns spread rapidly that public education in Seoul might become even more left-leaning following former Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon. 

Dr. Jang Jae-eon. / Hanmi Ilbo.Controversies regarding election fraud surrounding the by-election that brought Superintendent Chung to power also continue to persist, with critics centering on the claim that he was elected amidst statistically inexplicable anomalies. 

Dr. Jang Jae-eon (ROK Military Academy 34th Class, former Professor of Computer Science at the National Defense University), who leads the 'National Movement Headquarters to Open the NEC Server,' claimed in October last year, following the by-election, that "computer manipulation to swap voter ballots occurred in this Seoul Superintendent by-election," and filed a complaint with the prosecution against NEC officials for charges including obstruction of public affairs and falsification of records. 

Dr. Jang stated at the time, "In the Seoul Superintendent election where over 1.9 million people voted, there was a gap of about 17 percentage points between the vote shares in the in-person voting and early voting." He added, "Calculated based on the probability of 5,000 out of 10,000 people participating in each, the probability of a 5% point difference is 0.0000003, and the probability of a 6% point difference is effectively zero." 

He argued, "Such statistical anomalies, which are naturally impossible, appear to have occurred because the accused manipulated the NEC's electronic servers or condoned the tampering, thereby participating in changing the election results," and requested a digital forensic investigation of the servers while calling for a thorough investigation without a single doubt. 

Dr. Jang has been continuing rallies every Saturday near Seoul Station to demand the truth behind election fraud, alleging that suspicions of fraud have been raised throughout elections in which the National Election Commission has been involved, including the Seoul Superintendent election. 

Hanmi Ilbo YouTube Project Video - 99 Asphalt Fighters, Kim Moon-hee, Representative of Bo-In. 

Hanmi Ilbo YouTube Project Video - 100 Asphalt Fighters, Jang Jae-eon, Representative of the 'Open the Server' Movement Headquarters: “My father was a North Korean infiltrator.”