When They Were Selected, But Now "We Don't Match"... A 20-Year-Old Facing Admission Cancellation

20s Who Passed GIST Master's and PhD Program Report
Lab Chief Called and Suggested 'Admission Cancellation'
"Professor's Order" vs "Lab Chief's Lie"

A story has emerged about a person who was accepted into a master's and doctoral graduate program but was pressured by the lab manager to cancel their admission and ultimately gave up. The lab manager refers to the graduate student who takes charge of running the lab. On the 1st, SBS reported, "A in their 20s, who was accepted into the Graduate School of Life Sciences at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology last December, participated in an internship at Professor B's lab, where they were supposed to belong before enrollment."

A person in their 20s, Mr. A, who was admitted to the Graduate School of Life Sciences at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, is expressing feelings of injustice. SBS news footage

However, on the last day of the internship, A said they were told by the lab manager to quit, which left them stunned. According to a recording released by A, the lab manager said, "I think our lab and you don't quite match. It seems right to cancel your admission. The professor also said so and thinks it is right to let you go." Hearing that even the professor wanted the admission canceled, A reportedly gave up on enrolling. Later, the lab manager sent a text message to A saying, "The academic affairs team said they will contact you regarding the admission cancellation (refund of admission fee), so just follow their instructions." A expressed frustration, saying, "It was completely unexpected, so my mind went blank, and I wondered if this was really happening."

Afterward, A raised the issue with the school. The school's fact-finding committee found that Professor B, who had received reports from students that communication with A was difficult, instructed the lab manager to pressure A into canceling admission or changing labs. As a result, Professor B was given a three-month salary reduction. The lab manager was not disciplined, as it was determined they were following Professor B's instructions. Professor B appealed the disciplinary action to the Ministry of Education's Teacher Appeal Review Committee (the Appeal Committee), claiming the punishment was unfair. He said, "(The lab manager) lied and said all sorts of things. I never told them to leave. Not even once."

The Appeal Committee acknowledged that "it was inappropriate for the professor to convey the options of lab change or admission cancellation through the lab manager," but also stated that "it is difficult to conclude that the professor explicitly instructed to exert pressure on the student," and thus canceled the disciplinary action. The committee clarified that it only judged the appropriateness of the discipline and did not assign responsibility. Following the committee's decision, the school revoked the disciplinary action.

In the end, A gave up on their dream of becoming a scientist and is preparing to enter the workforce. However, the lab manager reportedly still claims that "the professor gave the instructions, but he doesn't remember it," insisting that it was the professor's order.