A press conference calling for severe punishment for Seo Geo-seok, the former North Jeolla Province Superintendent of Education, who was indicted on charges of spreading false information during the election process, was held in front of the Jeonju District Court on the 14th.

The Citizens' Alliance for Educational Reform and Autonomy in North Jeolla Province (hereinafter referred to as the Citizens' Alliance) claimed at the press conference that Superintendent Seo had deceived the citizens by covering up and denying the fact that he had assaulted a fellow professor, and that the court should make a serious judgment questioning the responsibility of public officials.

The Citizens' Alliance pointed out, "Superintendent Seo denied the suspicion of assault during the 2022 superintendent election process through broadcast debates and SNS, saying 'it's groundless', 'don't make up stories', etc." and "He actively tried to cover up the suspicion by suing the opposing candidate who raised the fact of the assault."

They continued, "In the first trial, Superintendent Seo was acquitted due to the false testimony of the victim, Professor Lee Gui-jae, but later, the professor's perjury was revealed and he was sentenced to 10 months in prison." They emphasized, "The Supreme Court's final judgment on perjury is no different from revealing that Superintendent Seo's assault is true."

The Citizens' Alliance also demanded, "Superintendent Seo was elected with a difference of about 3% from the opposing candidate, but if there had been no cover-up of the assault, the result could have been different." and "Severe punishment should be imposed on Superintendent Seo, who has abandoned his morality and legal responsibility as a public official, to correct social justice."

Superintendent Seo made a statement denying the question about his assault suspicion at the North Jeolla Province Superintendent of Education election debate in 2022, and later posted several posts on SNS claiming that the opposing candidate was spreading false information, and was indicted on charges of spreading false information.

Currently, Superintendent Seo was acquitted in the first trial, but the prosecution appealed and demanded a fine of 3 million won, and the appeal is scheduled to be sentenced on the 21st.

The Citizens' Alliance said, "The superintendent's position should be upright to the citizens, students, and parents. Superintendent Seo's actions have forfeited his qualifications as the head of education." They called for a fair and just judgment.