School Estimates Protest Damage at Approximately 5.4 Billion Won
Student Council Releases 'University Headquarters Meeting Transcript' on SNS
Plans to Occupy Main Building Until Engineering Conversion is Withdrawn

After the students of Dongduk Women's University, who had protested against the transition to coeducation, decided to suspend discussions following a meeting with the school administration, the student council stated that the spray painting that occurred during the protest was unrelated to them. According to the 'University Headquarters Meeting Questionnaire and Transcript' released by the Dongduk Women's University Student Council on Instagram on the 22nd, the student council said during the meeting with the school on the 21st, "The occupation of the main building and the 100th Anniversary Hall was not led by the student council."

Minju Lee, Emergency Response Committee Chairperson and Dean of Academic Affairs at Dongduk Women's University, along with the deans, are waiting for the doors to open in front of the College of Pharmacy at Dongduk Women's University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 21st, where a meeting between the Student Council and the deans is scheduled to take place. Photo by Yonhap News.

In particular, the student council emphasized, "It was not led by the student council but was a spontaneous action by fellow students out of anger," and "The student council did not give any instructions." Furthermore, regarding the damage caused by spray painting on the equipment at the '2024 Dongduk Career and Employment Extracurricular Joint Fair,' they stated, "Again, we did not instruct the students to do this. It was the first time we heard about such an incident when the company representative came on Monday." They drew a clear line by saying, "There is no direct connection with the student council. We have nothing to say in finding a direct connection."

When the Dean of Academic Affairs said, "The company thinks the student council is responsible and asked for compensation," the student council responded, "We cannot pay 330 million won. How are we supposed to pay?" When the Dean asked again about the school's refusal to compensate and sought further response, the student council replied, "We do not know. We cannot compensate."

On the morning of the 21st, when the Dongduk Women's University Student Council conveyed their opposition to coeducation during a meeting with the department heads, anti-coeducation slogans were written on the floor of Dongduk Women's University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, Dongduk Women's University estimated the damage caused by the protest to be between approximately 2.44 billion and 5.44 billion won. Of this, the amount claimed by the fair organizers is 330 million won. The protest, which began on the 11th, was temporarily concluded after ten days when the school and the student council agreed to suspend discussions on the coeducation issue.

Dongduk Women's University Student Council: "We will continue occupying the main building until the coeducation transition is withdrawn"

One day after the meeting, on the 22nd, the Dongduk Women's University Student Council announced that they would continue occupying the main building until the transition to coeducation is withdrawn. The student council issued a statement regarding the meeting with the deans held the previous day, saying, "We will not lift the occupation of the main building until the university administration’s proposed measures genuinely reflect student opinions, until we can fully understand them, and until the withdrawal of the coeducation transition is realized."

On the 22nd, the student council announced that they will continue to occupy the main building until the coeducation transition is withdrawn. The student council of Dongduk Women's University released a statement on the same day regarding the meeting with the department heads held the previous day, stating, "We will not lift the occupation of the main building until the university administration's proposed measures genuinely reflect students' opinions, until we fully understand them, and until the withdrawal of the coeducation transition is confirmed." Yonhap News

The student council demanded that "the university administration promise the Central Operating Committee (student representative body) to adopt a democratic opinion-gathering procedure different from before," adding, "The process of collecting student opinions must take place before the academic affairs meeting and should involve a process that genuinely gathers and reflects student opinions, rather than a mere formality." The student side stated that the university administration has shown for years a pattern of unilaterally explaining and dismissing student concerns through meetings held after the academic affairs meetings.

Meanwhile, based on the agreement reached with the school, the student council announced that from that day forward, they would lift the occupation of buildings such as the 100th Anniversary Hall and the Humanities Building, excluding the main building. They also requested students to refrain from obstructing classes by blocking classroom doors. However, the student council expressed their intention that "the Central Operating Committee will continue to voluntarily carry out class boycotts."

Dongduk Women's University agreed to lift the blockade of classrooms except for the main building and resume classes, on the condition that the school would temporarily suspend discussions on coeducation and proceed with future discussions in consultation with students. The university administration and the student side plan to continue additional discussions on this matter on the 25th.