Court backs KDI in punishing 'polifessor'
By Jung Min-ho
Yoo Jong-il
An appeals court ruled Tuesday that a state-run school’s decision to punish its professor for engaging in political activities without obtaining approval from the school was not illegal.
The Seoul High Court, in overturning a lower court’s decision, ruled in favor of the Korea Development Institute (KDI), which gave a one-month suspension to Professor Yoo Jong-il for his political activities without its approval.
Yoo announced he would run for a seat at the National Assembly in February 2012 after going on a vacation. He later found that the KDI rejected his request.
During the general election period, he was in charge of the economic democratization committee of the party and spearheaded campaign pledges to “counter corporate greed.”
Yoo eventually failed to earn an election ticket from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP). But he continued his political activities, helping other candidates from the party after the election.
“The KDI is a public institute that does government projects,” the court said. “His opinion as a KDI professor could be taken as the government opinion by mistake. Therefore, he should have requested approval from the KDI.”
“The punishment is not harsh after the KDI warned him of his activities many times.”
The KDI initially slapped him with a three-month suspension in June 2012, but later reduced the period to one month.
The professor took the case to the Appeal Commission for Teachers to challenge the school authorities' decision. The commission reduced the penalty to a one month suspension.
Previously, the Seoul Administrative Court said that the KDI’s one month suspension was “too harsh.”
The latest court decision will likely affect the fate of other “polifessors.” The term refers to a college professor that puts aside research or teaching to follow around a presidential candidate, hoping for a government position if they win.