Gyeonggi education chief says predecessor 'appears to have done nothing'

Gyeonggi Province Education Superintendent Ahn Min-seok said his predecessor, Im Tae-hee, appeared to have accomplished nothing because he "did not do any work."

Ahn made the remarks Wednesday at the second plenary session of the 393rd extraordinary session of the Gyeonggi Provincial Assembly, when People Power Party lawmaker Yun Jong-yeong asked him to assess Im's shortcomings and any achievements worth carrying forward. Ahn initially drew a line, saying he would "refrain from evaluating my predecessor," but when Yun pressed him again, he said he would "speak frankly" before delivering the blunt assessment.

When asked how the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education's newly launched projects would genuinely benefit students, Ahn said the goals were clear. "It is about creating schools where students look forward to coming in, where teachers are respected and where parents feel at ease," he said.

In response, Yun urged Ahn to keep the focus on students rather than politics. "The superintendent's office is not a platform for expanding political influence — it is a position of responsibility for children's futures," Yun said. "If new policies, organizations and projects are created, the budget must go back to the students. Please ensure that Gyeonggi's education budget is never used for political gain."