Chung-Ang University accused of illicit surveillance on student

By Kang Shin-who

Staff reporter

Chung-Ang University in Seoul is suspected of having conducted unlawful surveillance on a recently expelled student.

The school’s student council said it will take legal action against the school and its owner Doosan Group for the alleged illegal monitoring of the former student.

Doosan Heavy Industries and Construction took over Chung-Ang in 2008 and has pushed ahead with drastic reforms, igniting complaints from faculty members and students. Some of the students were expelled from the university, while protesting what they called a “unilateral” reform drive that eliminated “unpopular” departments.

According to police and university students, a school employee, dispatched from the Doosan Group, shadowed one of the expelled students, Roh Young-soo, a senior majoring in German language and literature.

Roh noticed the member of staff, identified by his surname Oh, secretly taking pictures of him, while he was staging a rally against the university and the Doosan Group together with some dismissed workers from the corporation, last Saturday.

Roh reported Oh to police and he was arrested.

Police said they secured a three page document, titled “Report on Roh Young-soo.” Although police refused to disclose the specific contents of the document, Roh claimed that Oh wrote all of his appointments and a list of those he was supposed to meet. Roh, in cooperation with student council, plans to take legal action against the school’s staff.

School denies allegations

At a press conference Monday, the student council called for the university and Doosan Group to apologize over the case.

“We never imagined that Doosan Heavy Industries, nor the school, would conduct an illicit surveillance on a student, which reminded us of something possible in a military dictatorship,” they said in a statement.

When questioned by The Korea Times, the university media relations officials denied all the allegations.

“There was no way for our school to conduct illicit surveillance on a student. Roh himself reported to our school official that he planned to stage a rally in cooperation with outsiders (Doosan Group workers), we reported it to the school president,” said Lee Tae-heon of the office. “Our president said school problems should be settled inside school not outside, and he gave orders to monitor Roh’s rally in order to prevent any possible trouble.”

He added that the university will soon decide whether to disclose all of the documents in order to stem any suspicions surrounding the case.

However, Roh said, “I just wanted to let people know about the arbitrary school management by Doosan Group and requested more communication with school decision-makers. I was kicked out for defaming the school. I think it’s too harsh.”

Roh is not the only victim among many protesting students at the school. Two students, who climbed up a Han River bridge to protest the restructuring, were suspended. Another student who staged a rally and quarreled with school officials was also expelled.

중앙대, 학생 불법 감시혐의

중앙대가 퇴학당한 학생을 불법으로 감시한 혐의를 받고 있다.

학생회에서는 이번 사건에 대해 두산과 학교측에 법적으로 대응하겠다고 밝혔다.

두산중공업과 두산건설은 2008년 중앙대를 인수했고 많은 개혁과 함께 직원과 학생들로부터 불평을 받았다. 시위를 하던 일부 학생들은 퇴학까지 당했다.

독일어과 노영수(4 학년) 학생과 경찰에 따르면 두산이 파견한 학교 직원이 퇴학당한 학생을 감시했다고 주장했다.

학생회는 월요일 회의에서 사과를 받아내려 두산과 학교측 담당자를 소환하여 “군독재정권을 연상케하는 학생 불법 감시를 두산중공업이나 학교측에서 할 줄은 몰랐다” 고 항의했다.

노영수 학생은 “그저 두산그룹의 독단적인 학교 관리를 사람들에게 알리고 학사 결정권자들하고 더욱 소통하길 바랄 뿐이었다. 이에 퇴학은 너무 심한거 같다” 고 말했다.

이 학생뿐 아니라 한강 다리위에서 기업 혁신 전략을 반대하던 두 학생은 정학을 당하고 또 다른 학생은 집회를 소집하고 학교직원과 말다툼이 있었다는 이유로 퇴학을 당했다.