By Na Jeong-ju
KAIST President Suh Nam-pyo is expected to keep his job for the moment.
The school’s board, headed by former Science and Technology Minister Oh Myung, delayed a decision on whether to expel Suh from the position, Friday.
Oh told reporters following an extraordinary board meeting at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul that Suh had agreed to leave his fate to the discretion of the 16-member board.
That suggested that Oh would engage in talks with the 76-year-old former MIT professor, who had defied the board’s call for a “voluntary” resignation.
“We, board members, will work hard to find a solution. But it will take some time to do so,” Oh said.
KAIST public relations chief Doo Won-soo said Suh will remain in the post at least until the prosecution makes public its probe results concerning an allegation of patent theft by Suh raised by the professors’ council.
“President Suh’s position is the same as before. He is determined to root out slandering,” Doo said. “President Suh is a victim of such negative behavior and he wants to eradicate it so KAIST can be a school that meets global standards.”
The board initially planned to vote on canceling its contract with Suh and discuss how to choose his successor as KAIST president. Suh, however, criticized Oh over the move at a press conference Monday, saying he committed no serious wrongdoings that would lead to him stepping down. He is now serving his second four-year term that is supposed to end in 2014.
Some board members said Suh won’t be able to complete his term, citing growing protests among professors and students against the way he manages the school. Suh’s aides, however, said he won’t give up the position.
“The board opted to take more time before making any decision on Suh’s fate. That means that a majority of board members believe that he is not being treated fairly,” said an aide to the president.
Certainly, Suh has become a hot potato for Oh.
At Monday’s press conference, Suh raised the allegation that behind the move to oust him are some senior education officials who dislike him. He said when he met with then-Education Minister Ahn Byong-man after securing another term in 2010, he was told by Ahn to quit halfway through his second term. He also alleged that Oh has repeatedly told him to leave the school this year. Both the ministry and Oh have refused to confirm such allegations.
“Chairman Oh should explain to me why I should leave,” Suh said. “He will have to fire me if he wants to kick me out. I won’t quit of my own accord.”
Some ministry officials have claimed that, back in 2010, the ministry approved Suh’s second term on condition that he would quit in 2012, but that he is now refusing to leave.
Both the association of KAIST professors and the students’ council are increasing calls for Suh’s immediate resignation. He has become increasingly unpopular amid a series of suicides that had taken place inside the school since early last year and growing protests against stricter tenure rules and a merit-based payment system he had initiated to inspire better research capabilities in the faculty.
The professors’ council raised the allegation of patent theft by Suh early this year, which a police investigation later found to be false. The prosecution is now looking into the accusation.