Dongduk Women's University drops complaints against students over campus protest
A Dongduk Women’s University official submits a petition to withdraw criminal complaints and express opposition to punishment for students who staged a sit-in protest on campus. The photo was shared by the university’s student council on Instagram. Captured from student council’s Instagram
Dongduk Women's University has withdrawn all criminal complaints filed against students who staged a sit-in protest last year against the school's proposed transition to a coeducational system. The decision comes roughly six months after the controversy began.
According to a statement posted on Thursday by the university's student council emergency steering committee, the university president, deans and student representatives held a meeting Wednesday and agreed to submit documents to the police requesting the withdrawal of charges and expressing no intent to pursue punishment.
The university is also expected to release a presidential statement outlining this decision, alongside a joint student statement and a cooperation agreement.
A university official confirmed the move in a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, saying, “Both sides recognized that prolonged conflict would negatively impact the school’s development. We hope this becomes a turning point for improved communication between the university and the student body.”
The protest began in early November last year, when students accused the university of pushing ahead with coeducation plans without sufficient consultation.
For 24 days, students occupied the university's main building and spray-painted school property. In response, the university filed a complaint on Nov. 29 against 21 students, including the student council president, for property damage and unlawful intrusion, estimating damages at 5.4 billion won (about $4 million).
However, the withdrawal of the complaint does not immediately halt police investigations.
As the alleged crimes, including property damage and obstruction of business, are not subject to dismissal solely at the victim’s request, the students could still face legal consequences. Police previously said they planned to question about ten students as criminal suspects.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.