Wreaths Sent by Students Installed Across Campus
Police Official: "The Intent Is to Prevent Illegal Activities"
Strong Backlash to the Statement, Including "You Should Get Pregnant"
As news spread that Dongduk Women's University is discussing transitioning to a coeducational system, current students have strongly opposed the move, while controversy has escalated after police made remarks related to pregnancy and childbirth to protesting students.
On the 11th, students opposing the transition to coeducation held a protest on the campus of Dongduk Women's University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Condolence wreaths sent by students were placed throughout the campus. The ribbons on the wreaths bore messages such as "Firmly oppose the covert push for coeducation," "Democratic Dongduk is dead," and "Do you think we are easy targets?"
In front of the main building of Dongduk Women's University, students held a protest where they hung a banner reading "Myeong-ae (Kim Myeong-ae, president of Dongduk Women's University), close the school honorably" and took off their university jackets. Various locations on campus were covered with messages like "We will not open even if we disappear" and "Firmly oppose coeducation." Additionally, the Dongduk Women's University Student Council 'Naran' has been sharing relay posters from college student councils, club federations, and department student councils on school buildings and social networking services (SNS).
On the 11th, university jumpers taken off by students were placed in front of the main building of Dongduk Women's University. Provided by the Student Council of Dongduk Women's University
On that day, protests took place in front of the main building, and photos and videos of the protest quickly spread through SNS and online communities. In response, police who arrived after receiving reports made remarks unrelated to the protest about pregnancy and childbirth to the protesting students, sparking controversy. In the video, a police officer says to the students, "You will become teachers later, have babies, and raise children..." The students strongly responded with phrases like "No way!" and "You get pregnant!"
Some netizens supporting the students' protest have encouraged filing complaints regarding the police officer's remarks and have shared related websites such as 'National Sinmungo' and 'Police Civil Complaint Portal.' In response to the controversy, a representative from the Jongam Police Station explained, "The remarks were made to discourage illegal acts as they were trying to break down the president's office door," adding, "It was a statement asking how they would educate children later if they behaved like that, considering they will have children and raise them in the future."
On the 11th, a condolence wreath with a sign reading "Strongly Oppose the Engineering Transition" was placed in front of the Baek Centennial Memorial Hall building at Dongduk Women's University. Provided by the Dongduk Women's University Student Council
Meanwhile, the university stated that the transition to coeducation is just one of several options for the school's future and is not a finalized decision. A university official said, "The transition to coeducation is only a possibility; no discussions have progressed or been decided yet," adding, "Even if discussions advance in the future, we will communicate sufficiently with the students. It is not a situation where it is being carried out recklessly."
However, students point out that the discussion about transitioning to coeducation surfaced without communication with them and continue to view it as a 'closed-door discussion.' Currently, there are seven four-year women's universities nationwide, including Dongduk Women's University and Ewha Womans University. Including specialized colleges such as Hanyang Women's University, there are 14 in total. Previously, Sangmyung Women's University transitioned to coeducation in 1996 and became Sangmyung University.
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