By Lee Hyo-sik
The government’s recommendation to reinstate a Korea University professor who had been suspended by the school for sexually harassing a female student is drawing strong protests from students.
According to Korea University Friday, the Appeal Commission for Teachers, affiliated with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, recently suggested that the school withdraw its decision to dismiss the professor at the College of Political Science and Economics from his post, citing procedural inappropriateness.
In July last year, the university suspended the professor for three months after discovering that he sexually abused a female graduate school student he supervised in May.
In December, the school’s personnel evaluation committee decided not to re-appoint the professor to his position, citing a past record of sexual harassment and his heavy-handed teaching style.
To protest the university’s decision, the professor filed a petition with the Appeal Commission for Teachers, which was established to protect teachers’ rights by hearing complaints about disciplinary actions imposed on them.
The committee ruled the professor should be given his job back against Korea University’s action. It said the school did not follow the proper procedure in dismissing him, adding it should have held a board of directors’ meeting to make such a decision.
However, Korea University students strongly oppose the committee’s move to reinstate the professor, stressing he is not fit to be a teacher.
One female student said the school should not accept the government’s recommendation if it wants to prevent sexual harassment from taking place on campus.
“I do not think he will change his behavior. If he is allowed to return, more students will be abused by him. For the sake of students and other members of Korea University, the management should make a wise decision,” she said.
The controversy came days after three male students at Korea University’s medical school sexually assaulted a fellow female student during a field trip. On May 21, the three took off all her clothes and touched her body after she got drunk and fell asleep.
The victim later filed reports of sexual harassment to the university’s center for gender equality and the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center under the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, sparking a police investigation.
Korea University students and the Young Medical Doctors’ Association have been urging school management to expel the three medical students.
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