SEOUL– Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said Wednesday she will remain in office until the end of the Moon Jae-in administration to focus on the fight against COVID-19 at schools, making clear she will not run in June’s local elections.
The former two-term lawmaker had been widely speculated to tender her resignation soon to run for governor of Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul as public office holders wishing to run in the elections are required by law to quit by March 3.
“I will fulfill my responsibility to the end as an education minister to achieve the complete normalization of schools,” Yoo said in a briefing on a virus prevention plan at schools.
The decision will make Yoo the longest-serving education minister in South Korea, a record currently held by Rhee Kyu-ho who served for 1,241 days between 1980 and 1983.
Yoo, who took office as an education minister doubling as a deputy prime minister on Oct. 2, 2018, will break the record on Feb. 24.
The average term for previous education ministers is 15 months.
Source: Yonhap News Agency