Incheon Education Chief Candidate Registers, Progressive Unification Faces Hurdles

The upcoming Incheon Superintendent of Education election is shaping up to be a three-way contest following Do Sung-hoon's registration as a preliminary candidate. This move effectively dashes hopes for a unified progressive front, a scenario many in the progressive camp had been working towards. The situation leaves voters with a choice between two progressive candidates and one conservative candidate.

Do Sung-hoon, in registering, articulated a vision focused on educational innovation and student success, stating, "To bear fruit in educational innovation, continuous progress is necessary. We will add bold innovation to proven stability to complete the student success era." His campaign signals a commitment to building on existing stability with forward-thinking reforms.

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The reason I have steadfastly protected the field even in the long tunnel of the COVID-19 pandemic is the earnest desire to protect the children's laughter. To bear fruit in educational innovation, continuous progress is necessary. We will add bold innovation to proven stability to complete the student success era.

However, the registration has drawn criticism from Im Byeong-gu, another progressive candidate. Im expressed disappointment, noting that Do had not previously declared his intention to run or clarified his stance on a promise to serve only one term. Im characterized Do's registration as a "surprise" and criticized his failure to engage with the progressive unification committee, calling it a breach of etiquette towards the civic groups that supported the election of a progressive superintendent.

The progressive unification committee, 'Incheon Democratic Progressive Education Superintendent Promotion Committee,' had extended its candidate registration period, hoping to foster a single candidate. With Do's independent registration, the committee is now reportedly considering backing Im Byeong-gu as their sole candidate. This fragmentation within the progressive camp highlights the challenges of achieving consensus, even among like-minded groups, especially when individual ambitions or strategic calculations come into play. The conservative camp is also in the process of selecting its unified candidate.

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He has never officially announced his intention to run, nor has he clarified his position on the promise to serve only one term that was discussed with civic society. This is a surprise preliminary candidate registration, and in that process, he did not join the Democratic Progressive Candidate Unification Promotion Committee. It is the minimum courtesy to express his position to civic society, which helped create a re-elected superintendent through the unification of democratic progressive candidates, and to register as a preliminary candidate.