Controversy Over 'Humiliation Project', Parking, and Budget Waste at a Korean Government-Funded Research Institute

Korea Brain Research Institute Faces Controversy Over Humiliating Project with Foreign Universities
Claims of Parking Lot Power Abuse and Budget Waste
Park Sung-joong, People Power Party Lawmaker, Urges "Immediate Halt"

Seopan-gil, Director of the Korea Brain Research Institute.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The Korea Brain Research Institute, a government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT, is embroiled in controversies over operating a humiliating joint doctoral degree program with a foreign university that is not stipulated in regulations, as well as the director’s parking abuse and budget waste.

According to the office of Park Sung-joong, a member of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee from the People Power Party, on the 23rd, the institute has been running a joint doctoral degree program with King's College London since August 2019. Each institution selects one student, who then conducts a joint research project for two years at both institutions, with tuition and living expenses supported separately. The problem is that neither the Brain Research Promotion Act, which is the legal basis for the institute’s establishment, nor internal regulations of the parent institution, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), provide any grounds for pursuing such a 'talent development and scholarship project.'

Park pointed out that the project is being pushed forward in a 'humiliating' manner. Originally, the two institutions were supposed to share the costs, but with just one email from King's College stating "financial difficulties due to the COVID-19 situation," the institute unilaterally took on the entire financial burden.

The program is not progressing properly either. The students selected by both institutions have been unable to conduct exchange joint research due to the COVID-19 situation. The Korean student could not go to the UK and only recently left after commuting to the institute, while the UK student remains in the local area. Despite this, the institute is covering all tuition and living expenses for both students. The joint research project has held 12 online video conferences over the past year, but the UK student has attended only twice, indicating poor progress.

Park criticized, "This is a completely humiliating project that has deviated entirely from the original memorandum of understanding," adding, "They arbitrarily proceeded with a scholarship project that did not even exist, making themselves a global pushover."

Korea Brain Research Institute parking lot. Photo by Seongjung Park, Office of the People Power Party.

Director Seo Pan-gil’s 'parking lot abuse' and budget waste such as replacing perfectly fine furniture have also come under scrutiny. According to Park, Seo’s parking lot abuse is well known within the institute. He designated a fixed parking spot for his personal car, not an official vehicle, and did not tolerate other employees parking there. When the number of official vehicles increased from three to four last year, the number of official vehicle-only parking spaces was increased from three to five, more than necessary, and Seo used one as his exclusive parking spot.

Park urged during the National Assembly audit on the 18th, "He abused the parking lot throughout his first year in office, and used the excuse of new official vehicles to create a parking spot for his personal car as well," adding, "A person who should set an example for employees should not engage in such petty abuse. Restore it to the original state immediately."

Additionally, after taking office, Seo replaced the mattress, bed frame, and sofa in the official residence. However, there was no required disposal decision document for the mattress and bed frame according to regulations, and although the sofa was replaced claiming its legs were broken, it was clearly in good condition.

Park asserted, "(The equipment) is not the director’s personal property but purchased with our taxpayers’ money," and claimed, "There are complaints within the institute about the director’s excessive waste of money."

The sofa in the director's office recently discarded by the Korea Brain Research Institute. Photo by Seongjung Park, Office of the People Power Party lawmaker.