Gwangju Education Civic Group Submits Opposition Statement to the Enactment of the Korea Electric Power University Act

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] An educational civic group in the Gwangju area has submitted an opposition statement against the enactment of the Korea Electric Power Corporation University Act.

The Citizens' Group for a Society Without Academic Elitism announced on the 28th that it submitted an opposition opinion on the "Korea Energy Technology University Act," which is currently open for legislative notice and public comments, through the National Assembly Legislative Information System.

The "Korea Energy Technology University Act," which aims to finalize the establishment of Korea Electric Power Corporation University (KEPCO University), was referred on the 16th and entered the legislative notice period starting from the 19th.

KEPCO University was a campaign pledge of President Moon Jae-in, with the site confirmed in Naju in 2019, and earlier this year, the "Electric Utility Act Enforcement Decree" was amended to allow the use of the "Electric Power Industry Infrastructure Fund" for the establishment and operation of KEPCO University.

The Citizens' Group for a Society Without Academic Elitism has continuously expressed opposition to the establishment of KEPCO University since last year. The group explained that the establishment of KEPCO University was promoted as a regional development pledge, unrelated to academic necessity or discussions within the academic community from the planning stage.

As a result, despite the existence of energy-related departments at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology and universities in the Gwangju-Jeonnam region, the university establishment was pursued, and aside from massive financial investment, no substantial plans for university revitalization have been presented.

The civic group stated, "So far, KEPCO University has been promoted as a private university form where Korea Electric Power Corporation forms a private school corporation to establish and operate the university," adding, "Even with support from local governments such as Jeonnam Province and Naju City, ultimately, massive financial support from Korea Electric Power Corporation is necessary."

They continued, "Due to its impracticality, securing the enormous funds required to realize the KEPCO University plan has been a contentious issue," and "The amendment of the related enforcement decree to use the 'Electric Power Industry Infrastructure Fund,' which is created from a portion of electricity bills paid by consumers, beyond its original scope of supporting research projects and expanding power facilities in mountainous and remote areas to include the university, also stems from the imprudence of pushing policies without properly considering Korea Electric Power Corporation's financial scale and the feasibility of establishing the university."

Furthermore, "The proposed bill aims to establish and operate KEPCO University as a special corporation, not as a private university like the Institutes of Science and Technology," emphasizing, "Currently, four Institutes of Science and Technology operate nationwide, each governed by laws specific to their institutions and receive funding from the national treasury like national public universities. KEPCO University is effectively planned as the fifth Institute of Science and Technology to be newly established in Naju City."

They stated, "Ultimately, KEPCO University is neither established based on academic demands and discussions nor established according to the needs of the public enterprise Korea Electric Power Corporation, as this bill once again proves," and added, "While expanding investment in higher education is welcome, neglecting to devise measures to overcome the crisis faced by regional universities and instead focusing on creating a new academic elitism will never promote healthy regional development."