Dongduk Women's University 3rd Meeting Held... 'Main Building Occupation Lift' Halted Without Agreement

Student Side Demands Complete Withdrawal of Coeducation
School Side Calls for Lifting Occupation of Main Building

Dongduk Women's University held a third meeting with the Student Council but failed to narrow differences over the lifting of the main building occupation.

On the 25th, there was graffiti opposing the transition to coeducation on the campus of Dongduk Women's University in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Although the students' protests seem to have settled as Dongduk Women's University decided to halt discussions on the transition to coeducation, there is still disagreement over compensation for damages caused to the school due to the protests, including the graffiti. Photo by Yonhap News

Dongduk Women's University announced that on the 25th, from 11 a.m. for about an hour and a half, it held a third meeting with the Student Council Central Steering Committee but could not reach an agreement.

According to Dongduk Women's University, on that day, the student side demanded a complete withdrawal of discussions on transitioning to coeducation, contrary to the agreement made in the second meeting. On the other hand, the school requested that if it issues a statement temporarily halting discussions on coeducation, the students should lift the occupation of the main building. As disagreements over the conditions for lifting the main building occupation continued, the meeting ended without consensus.

A Dongduk Women's University official said, "The meeting ended without discussing future schedules," and added, "We will request the student side to communicate future schedules through an official letter."

Earlier, on the 21st, Dongduk Women's University held a three-hour meeting between the department heads and the Student Council and decided to temporarily suspend discussions on coeducation. They also agreed to lift the blockade of classrooms except for the main building and resume classes, based on the premise that if discussions resume in the future, they will proceed through consultation with the students.

Accordingly, the Student Council ceased occupying buildings such as the Centennial Memorial Hall, Humanities Building, and Sungin Hall, excluding the main building, and stopped disrupting classes. However, through a statement, the Student Council conveyed that "the main building occupation will not be lifted until the withdrawal of coeducation is achieved."