Yeonjeong Jeong, the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, expressed hope that the controversy surrounding the candidate for Minister of Education, Jin-suk Lee, over allegations of plagiarism in her student's thesis, would come to an end soon, saying, "I hope this unproductive debate concludes as quickly as possible," and noted, "I await the wise judgment of the new government that has emerged along with the aspirations of democratic citizens."

Seoul Education Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik announces 'Recommendations for New Government Policies to Support Major Policy Initiatives of the Seoul Education Office' at a press conference held at the Seoul Education Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 15th. /Courtesy of Seoul Education Office

On the 20th, Superintendent Jeong said in a post on his Facebook, "Many people who watched the recent National Assembly confirmation hearing have expressed their disappointment and concern to me."

He noted that "the Minister of Education in the new government has the responsibility to tackle the tasks of the coming era, covering both primary and secondary education as well as higher education," mentioning various challenges in the education sector such as declining school-age population, regional educational imbalances, the advancement of artificial intelligence, and the climate crisis.

He emphasized that "for the Minister of Education in the new government to lead in solving these difficulties, a solid trust between the education community and society is essential," adding, "We need a Minister of Education who earns the respect and support of all those dedicated to primary, secondary, and higher education for a better future for students."

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