Ulsan education superintendent transition committee to promote Korean-language policy

The transition committee for the 11th Ulsan Metropolitan City superintendent of education (chair Kim Gu-han) announced Monday it will operate a "Woori-mal Committee" under its umbrella to honor Ulsan's identity as the birthplace of hangul scholar Oeosol Choe Hyeon-bae and help students naturally absorb the value and importance of the Korean language in their daily lives.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education has built a strong record in Korean-language education, earning either the top or second-highest rating in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's annual review of Korean-language officer duties every year since 2021. The review, conducted under the Framework Act on the Korean Language, covers central government agencies, metropolitan and local governments, and city and provincial education offices nationwide.

Superintendent-elect Jo Yong-sik also pledged "Oeosol Education" as Ulsan's model for public schooling. The initiative's key components are: foundational literacy under "Oeosol Basic Literacy Education"; inclusive and solidarity-focused learning under "Oeosol Multicultural Education"; civic development under "Oeosol Civic Education for Independent Thinking"; cultural identity education under "Pride in Ulsan as a Hangul City That Breathes in Everyday Life"; and governance building under "Oeosol Education Governance."

To put those pledges into concrete action, the transition committee formed the five-member Woori-mal Committee, which includes Korean-language teachers.

As a first step, the committee plans to replace foreign and loanword expressions — such as "total care" (integrated management and support) — used in the transition committee's policy reviews and campaign materials with plain, correct Korean. It will also participate in editing the committee's white paper to ensure Korean-language principles are faithfully reflected throughout.

Going forward, the Woori-mal Committee intends to promote the use of plain Korean expressions in the names of policies and projects pursued by the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education, as well as in promotional and educational materials.

"We will ensure that the spirit of Oeosol Choe Hyeon-bae takes deeper root in education across Ulsan, and we will communicate the city's education policies in plain Korean," superintendent-elect Jo said.