By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
The state-funded Korea Development Institute (KDI) School of Public Policy and Management was ordered to close all but one of its post graduate degree courses Wednesday.
An official from the Office of the Prime Minister admitted that the downsizing was partially politically motivated, although insisting it was part of the reorganization of public enterprises and other state-funded institutions.
He said it became necessary to drastically overhaul the ``inefficient'' KDI school.
Many professors there have been critical of the Lee Myung-bak administration's economic policy even though the KDI is subsidized by taxpayers' money.
``KDI has become too big and has been loosely managed. The Board of Audit and Inspection has reprimanded several school professors for having played golfed on weekdays. I think the decision also played a part to some extent,'' the official said.
Some faculty members, including professor You Jong-il, have been extremely critical of state economic policies.
You is a regular debater against government proponents on TV and a columnist for the liberal Hankyoreh and Kyunghyang dailies.
Students and alumni are the biggest victims of the downscaling critics say. Closing the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Foreign Direct Investment (MFDI) and Master of Asset Management (MAM) courses will likely deprive the alumni of the opportunity to build social networks among themselves.
KDI currently offers four academic courses ― the MBA, MFDI, MAM and Master of Public Policy (MPP) ― and about 500 students are enrolled in the school on two-year programs.
The office said the KDI will not be allowed to recruit new MBA, MFDI, and MAM students for 2010, but all current candidates will still be able to graduate after two years. The school will only be permitted to run the MPP program for foreign students and public officials from central and local governments.
Professor You insisted that the downsizing was intended to target him and other critical professors. ``It is hard to understand the decision. It is such a waste to discard competent faculty members and the excellent academic curricula we have built here. I think this is definitely politically motivated,'' he said.
You founded the Economic Reform Research Institute with Korea University professor Jang Ha-sung and Hansung University professor Kim Sang-jo, who are also liberal-minded and critical of government policies.
Students vowed to take a legal action to protect their rights and keep the school alive.
``Professors can teach at other universities once the programs here are suspended. But many students, including myself, are here to find a better job. With an academic degree from a closed school, I don't think it will help me impress potential employers. Students are the biggest victim,'' one told The Korea Times.
``All of us have worked hard to get a degree but with the school about to disappear, it is now worthless. We will take legal action against the government and fight on until they reverse the plan.''