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| A professor of Ewha Womans University weeps as she protests with her colleagues, calling for an investigation into alleged fraud in admissions and grading connected to an influence-peddling scandal, during a press conference on the university's Seoul campus, Wednesday. University President Choi Kyung-hee offered to resign hours before the conference to resolve the conflict. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk |
Professors still demand investigation of special treatment allegations
By Park Jae-hyuk, Kim Se-jeong
Ewha Womans University President Choi Kyung-hee offered to step down Wednesday amid growing allegations that the school gave special treatment in admissions and grading to the daughter of President Park Geun-hye's close confidante.
"Today, I am offering my resignation to end the division happening on Ewha's campus," Choi wrote in her resignation letter emailed to students and faculty members. "With my resignation, I hope the division will be mended and the members will come together again."
Choi's resignation came hours ahead of a scheduled protest by faculty, the first of its kind in the school's 130 years of history.
Yet, Choi dismissed the allegations raised against her and the school. "I swear there was no favoritism involving the student. That is not simply possible at Ewha."
The professors who gathered at the school's main gate for the protest welcomed the news, but still demanded an investigation and a more transparent selection process for university president.
"Today is a victory for Ewha. We're happy that Choi is out but we will keep our eyes on developments," the professors said in a statement.
The fast-evolving scandal centered around Chung Yoo-ra, 19, a sophomore at the Department of Kinesiology and Sports Studies. Her mother, Choi Soon-sil, is one of the closest confidantes of President Park and former wife of Chung Yoon-hoi, a former aide to the President. Choi is suspected of being involved in an influence-peddling scandal regarding the establishment of the Mir and K-Sports foundations.
"If the allegations about Chung are true, it is not only against the Ewha spirit but also a crime," the teachers said. "We cannot stand it anymore that Ewha's reputation has been this badly tarnished."
They also demanded the school's board improve the management structure and come up with new a process to select the president.
One allegation involving Chung is that the school admitted her, as she was a member of the national dressage team, even though she was not fully qualified.
Another allegation is that professors gave her good grades although she did not do any work. According to students, while Chung did not come to school, she obtained a grade of B for a fashion design class last year. Students also alleged that Chung submitted a paper that was plagiarized from others. Emails also revealed that teachers were overly lenient with her.
Meeting with students and professors face to face on Monday evening, President Choi admitted the grades were partially mismanaged but dismissed the admission fraud allegations, further enraging students and teachers who demanded answers.
Choi, who was inaugurated as university president in 2014, came into conflict with the student body over a night school project the school won from the Ministry of Education earlier this year. The project aimed at helping working women get academic degrees but was met with fierce opposition from students who claimed it was damaging to the university's prestige.
Hundreds of students began sit-in protests in a university building, but after the president asked the police force for help, the students began demanding her resignation. The project was eventually scrapped.
Some suspect Ewha won the project, along with seven others, because of the special treatment for the daughter of Choi with power connections.
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