"Engineering Withdrawal" vs "Occupation Lift"… Dongduk Women's University 3rd Meeting Also Ends Empty-Handed

Third Meeting Held but Differences Remain Unresolved
No Progress Since Second Meeting... Occupation of Main Building Continues

Amid opposition to the discussion on transitioning to coeducation, the Dongduk Women's University Student Council continues to occupy the main building of the school. However, the third meeting between the student council and the school authorities failed to narrow their differences. According to Dongduk Women's University on the 25th, the school administration and the student council held the third meeting for about an hour starting at 11 a.m. that day. However, it was confirmed that there was no progress compared to the second meeting held on the 21st.

Lee Min-ju, Emergency Response Committee Chairperson and Dean of Academic Affairs at Dongduk Women's University, along with the deans, are entering the building on the 25th at Dongduk Women's University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, to have a meeting with the student council. Photo by Yonhap News

Earlier, students of Dongduk Women's University who opposed the transition to coeducation occupied all buildings of the Wolgok Campus in Seongbuk-gu, Hyehwa Campus in Jongno-gu, and Cheongdam Campus in Gangnam-gu on the 11th, refusing to attend classes and confronting the school. Amid this, on the 21st, Dongduk Women's University and the student council announced that they would temporarily suspend discussions related to the transition to coeducation based on the results of the second meeting. On the premise that the school authorities would issue a statement indicating that "if related discussions are resumed in the future, they will proceed through consultation with students," they also agreed to lift the blockade of classrooms except for the main building and resume classes. However, the student council had previously stated their intention to continue occupying the main building until the school authorities completely withdraw the discussions related to coeducation.

Since no additional points of agreement were reached between both sides during the third meeting, it appears that the student council's occupation of the main building will continue for the time being.

In the third meeting resumed four days after the second meeting, no additional consensus was reached between the two sides. Therefore, the student council's occupation of the main building is expected to continue for the time being. A representative from Dongduk Women's University said, "We conveyed that the prolonged occupation of the main building is causing administrative paralysis and escalating problems, but (the student council) refused," adding, "The discussions have not progressed."

Meanwhile, the police stated that a total of six complaints and accusations related to the Dongduk Women's University incident have been received so far. These mainly involve charges such as trespassing and online threats, and are known to have been requested for investigation by third parties rather than the school. No reports have been filed yet regarding the so-called 'lacquer painting incident,' which sparked controversy online over campus damage.