Korea University students demand renaming Lee Myung-bak Lounge

The Lee Myung-bak Lounge at Korea University Business School / Korea Times file

By Kim Hyun-bin

Korea University's business students have been avoiding using a lounge inside the business school building.

This is because the lounge is named after former President Lee Myung-bak.

Lee, who was president from 2008 to 2013, was indicted April 9 and faces 16 charges including bribery, abuse of power, embezzlement, breach of trust and tax evasion as well as violations of the election and presidential records laws. He graduated from Korea University with a business degree in the 1960s.

Its students are showing discomfort toward the lounge. They want the school to rename it.

“If he is found guilty later on, coming to this lounge will make me feel uneasy,” said Kim, who currently attends Korea University.

Most universities have named some of their facilities after well-known political and business leaders.

Sometimes their actions make universities contemplate whether to change or maintain the names of the facilities in the campus.

The Lee Myung-bak Lounge was established in 2003 when he was mayor of Seoul. Then, there was a debate within the school on naming it after someone who was still active in politics.

After a long discussion, the university decided to name the 100-seat room the Lee Myung-bak Lounge.

After the indictment of the former president, students have started to raise concerns through social media, urging the university to change it to a different name.

Many students are posting comments saying it would be dishonorable to keep the lounge's name, while questioning the university's integrity.

They say the name needs to be changed so students can “feel a sense of pride when using the space.”

However, Korea University said it has no plans to hold a discussion on this matter or change its name.

“Lee Myung-bak's name was put up as he gave a large donation to the institution,” a Korea University spokesman said.

“We have no plans to take down the name.”

Yeungnam University, meanwhile, has erased traces of former President Park Geun-hye after she was ousted in 2017. She was charged with multiple offences including abuse of power, extortion, bribery and mishandling state secrets.

The university was established by Park's father ― former President Park Chung-hee ― and had been operated by his daughter.

The university's union has erased both Park and her father's names on campus.

“This is the institution's way of re-evaluating a historical figure. And this comes as its students and faculty have been criticizing the names,” said Kim Ki-ok, a sociology professor at Hansung University.

“Realistically, students are the owner of the university. So instead of focusing on the institution's views on the matter, it needs to first find a consensus with the students.”