'Perfect Score on Documents - Campus Transfer Rejection' Invalid Lawsuit Lee Joo Appeal Trial Conclusion

Seoul Central District Court / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The court's second ruling on a lawsuit filed by a student who contested failing a campus transfer exam will be announced this week.

According to the legal community on the 23rd, the Seoul High Court Civil Division 34 (Presiding Judge Seonjae Jeong) will deliver a verdict on the 28th regarding Mr. A's lawsuit against the school foundation seeking to nullify the decision of failing the campus transfer exam. The previous first trial ruled in favor of the school foundation, resulting in the plaintiff's loss.

Earlier, Mr. A took the transfer exam in November 2019 to move from a local campus of C University to the physics department at the Seoul campus. He scored nearly full marks in the first stage document screening. However, he received a failing score in the second stage interview, finishing second and thus failing the final selection. The department had only one spot available, and the final selection was based on a combined score of 90% from the document screening and 10% from the interview.

Mr. A filed the lawsuit contesting the results, arguing that "the interview was not conducted so poorly as to warrant a failing score, and if he was to be rejected simply because he was a liberal arts student, such notice should have been given from the start." However, the first trial rejected this claim, stating that "there is no evidence to recognize that the interviewers abused or exceeded their discretion."

The second trial, proceeding on appeal by Mr. A, held two hearings and was initially scheduled for a verdict on December 22 last month but was rescheduled to January 28. At the conclusion of the hearings, the appellate court expressed sympathy to Mr. A, saying, "It seems you studied hard and prepared well for the exam," and "Regardless of the outcome, please do not be discouraged and live diligently."