Consecutive University Campus Political Declarations... 51 Hanyang University Professors "Urge President Yoon to Resign"

Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Gachon University Followed by Hanyang University in Political Statement Declaration

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a congratulatory speech at the '2024 National Saemaeul Leaders Conference' held on the 5th at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Yonhap News.

Amid a series of political declarations by university professors recently, professors at Hanyang University also issued a statement demanding the immediate resignation of President Yoon Seok-yeol.

On the 5th, 51 Hanyang University professors released a political declaration titled "We Strongly Urge the Immediate Resignation of President Yoon Seok-yeol," pointing out that "under the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, South Korea has experienced reactionary and regressive actions in all areas including politics and democracy, economy, socio-culture, diplomacy and security, labor, and the health and welfare of the people."

They continued, "The abuse of state affairs by the First Lady and her associates has crossed the line, bringing the country to the brink of war," and added, "Nevertheless, the president has deepened the crisis without any reflection or intention to shift towards cooperation." The professors stated, "We recognize that we cannot remain confined to the ivory tower and, while criticizing the problems caused by this administration, we issue this declaration as a small but meaningful step to set the country right."

They further emphasized, "We believe that resisting the anti-national, anti-democratic, anti-labor, hardline neoliberal prosecutorial dictatorship is the correct way for intellectuals to exist authentically," and stressed, "Therefore, we strongly urge the resignation of President Yoon Seok-yeol, who has not only destroyed democracy and the economy, plunged the livelihood of the people into distress, and driven countless citizens to death, but is also provoking a war crisis."

Hanyang University Professors' Political Statement. Hanyang University

On the same day, 57 professors from Sookmyung Women’s University also issued a political declaration titled "Lamenting the Collapsing Democracy." They stated, "A president who has lost fairness and common sense and is distrusted by the majority of the people no longer has the qualification or ability to lead the nation," and added, "We urge President Yoon to accept a special prosecution investigation and to prioritize national safety and efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula; if not, the entire nation will engage in a movement demanding his resignation."

Meanwhile, political declarations against President Yoon have been continuously issued from various sectors. On the 31st of last month, 73 professors from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies released a statement titled "Immediately Accept the Special Prosecution Investigation on Kim Geon-hee," saying, "From the perspective of the public’s common legal sense, it is utterly unacceptable that the president and his family are shaking the foundations of the judicial system."

The Gachon University Professors’ Union also criticized on the 28th of last month in a political statement that "the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has entered its terminal hospice stage." The National Council of Professors and Researchers for a Democratic and Equal Society (MinGyohyeop), which gathers professors and researchers nationwide, stated on the 30th of last month that "the extension of Yoon Seok-yeol and his ruling forces’ administration is the destruction of South Korean democracy and a summoning of the ghosts of past dictatorships."