KAIST Alumni File Complaint Against Presidential Security Service for 'Forced Detention of Graduates'

Alumni have filed a complaint against the Presidential Security Service regarding the incident in which a graduate protesting President Yoon Suk-yeol at the KAIST degree conferment ceremony in Daejeon was forcibly removed.

On the 20th, KAIST alumni held a press conference in front of the National Police Agency's National Investigation Headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, announcing that they would file charges against the head and staff of the Presidential Security Service for abuse of authority, assault, and unlawful detention under the Presidential Security Act.

On the 20th, KAIST alumni submitted a complaint to the National Police Agency accusing the Presidential Security Service chief and security guards of forcibly removing Shin Min-ki, a KAIST graduate and spokesperson for the Green Party of Justice, who shouted at President Yoon Seok-yeol during the KAIST graduation ceremony. Photo by Heo Young-han younghan@

The complainants include Kim Hye-min, the 2004 KAIST student council president and a Democratic Party preliminary candidate, Professor Ju Si-hyung of Chonnam National University’s Department of Industrial Engineering, who entered KAIST’s Industrial Management program in 1996, and a total of 26 others.

Previously, on the 16th, during President Yoon’s congratulatory speech at the KAIST degree conferment ceremony, Shin Min-gi, spokesperson for the Green Justice Party’s Daejeon branch and a graduate, shouted, "Stop boasting and restore the R&D budget," before being dragged out by security personnel.

Kim Dong-a, the legal representative for the complaint, explained the purpose of the filing, stating, "In a democratic country, it is a natural right of the people to protest and raise their voices against the president’s policies. The victim did not have any intention or means to harm the president but merely shouted briefly to protest the cut in research and development (R&D) funding. This is a case of state violence where excessive force was used by mobilizing state power, and we will pursue full accountability."

On the 20th, KAIST alumni submitted a complaint to the National Police Agency accusing the Presidential Security Service chief and security personnel of forcibly removing Shin Min-ki, a graduate and spokesperson of the Green Party, who shouted at President Yoon Seok-yeol during the KAIST graduation ceremony.

Professor Ju Si-hyung also pointed out, "The Presidential Security Service staff used physical force to collectively assault a student who protested verbally. Such actions constitute a serious act of violence that abuses and excessively exercises the authority granted to state agencies by the constitution and laws, infringing on citizens’ fundamental rights, especially freedom of the body and freedom of expression."

He added, "We expect a thorough investigation under the law to determine whether the head of the Security Service and the president, who bear command responsibility, tacitly allowed or aided this, and that they will be held appropriately accountable."

Kim Hye-min stated, "Taking this incident as a turning point, our alumni will unite to restore the R&D budget, achieve the dismissal of the head of the Presidential Security Service, and secure an apology from the president. We will fight to the end."