A heated debate between candidates for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education...Voter turnout is key.

[Anchor]
While early voting for the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education's by-election is underway from yesterday to today, the battle between the candidates is also heating up.

In particular, single conservative and progressive candidates are engaged in an all-out war to get even one vote, citing each other's policies as well as their personal history.

I'm reporter Yeom Hye-won.

[Reporter]
The election is effectively a showdown between a single candidate from the conservative and progressive camps.

Conservative candidate Cho Jeon-hyuk has been criticizing Chung Geun-sik and the progressive camp for continuing the policy of former Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon.

[Cho Jeon-hyuk / Single candidate for conservative education in Seoul: Former Superintendent Cho Hee-yeon is guilty. Nevertheless, the so-called candidate of the democratic progressive camp says he will defend this illegality and inherit the policy.]

In response, candidate Chung countered that candidate Cho, who completely denies the process of the past decade, would confuse the educational field.

[Jung Geun-sik / Seoul Superintendent of Education Single Candidate: When I meet citizens these days, I hear concerns first. Both children and teachers are having a hard time, but watching the election of the superintendent of education, I hear that it may become more difficult in the future.The war of nerves continued over the revival of elementary school exams, a key pledge of candidate

.

[Jung Geun-sik / Single candidate for Seoul Superintendent of Education: You said that education is a commodity, and that superintendent of education is a CEO, right? In such a frame, teachers become the ones who produce the products....]

[Cho Jeon-hyuk/ Single candidate for conservative education of Seoul superintendent: The so-called progressive democratic education camp seems to consider it a sin. If you say you're doing a diagnostic test, you treat your children as being abusive....]

Some pointed out that there are many more urgent issues about history education that candidate Chung emphasizes.

[Choi Bo-sun / Seoul Superintendent of Education Candidate: Historical orthodoxy allows scholars to write well and choose through a deliberation body consisting of teachers, parents, and experts. Elementary and secondary education is not just history.

Beyond the policy, the personal history of the two candidates has also become the target of each other's attacks.

[Jung Geun-sik / Seoul Superintendent of Education Single Candidate (last 10th): Schools without violence are very important. Moreover, I would like to emphasize that a person with a history of school violence should never be a leader.]

[Cho Jeon Hyuk / Single candidate for Seoul Superintendent of Education: You own a field in Yongin and Iksan. I think it's about 1,000 pyeong. I'd like to ask if you farm in the field. Your son has lived in America for a long time on YouTube and he should think in English....]

Even during the time to discuss the pledges of the other two candidates, bitter comments were made when Cho and Chung focused only on criticism of each other.

[Yun Ho-sang / Seoul Superintendent of Education Candidate: "Who is the superintendent, Dad?" and "Colonial Court justice" are not the core pledges of the superintendent candidate. / What on earth does a superintendent candidate have in his head?]

The battle between the candidates continues, but the problem is that there is no atmosphere for elections.

In 2008, when the Seoul Superintendent of Education held an exclusive election, the turnout was only 15.4%.

Whether it's a policy election by voters or a small number of people, it's ultimately up to turnout.

I'm Yum Hyewon of YTN.