Handled Professors' Research Projects, Contests, and Paper Submissions Simultaneously
Both Professors Found to Have Abused Authority and Exercised Superiority
Allegations of power abuse by professors, which arose following the death of a graduate student at Jeonnam National University, have been largely substantiated by the university’s internal investigation.
According to the activity report of the Fact-Finding Committee on the Graduate Student Death Case at Jeonnam National University on November 26, the investigation into the death of a graduate student from the College of Engineering, which occurred in a university dormitory on July 13, 2025, and the drafting of the report were completed at the end of last month.
The graduate student, who was enrolled in both undergraduate and master’s programs during 2024-2025, handled all aspects of work related to research planning, result report writing, and administrative processing for Professors A and B.
With respect to Professor A, the student managed between four and nine research projects, contests, and administrative tasks each month. For Professor B, the student was responsible for two to five research projects and paper submissions per month, as well as numerous unofficial tasks.
Although there were designated lead researchers at a company with a special relationship to Professor B, it was found that the graduate student actually carried out the research projects. The student, who was officially a researcher on a commissioned project, was also made to handle company work without receiving appropriate compensation.
The committee found that while the wages for the projects the graduate student participated in were paid as stipulated in the research plans, it is necessary for audit or investigative agencies to determine whether there was any improper use of research personnel expenses.
It was also determined that a total of approximately 3.7 million won was deposited into the student’s account over 11 transactions, which appeared to be related to laboratory operations and included recovered student wages.
In fact, KakaoTalk messages between Professor A and the student revealed evidence that part of the student’s wages was collected and deposited into a laboratory expense account. Professor A reportedly stated that these funds were used for research group gatherings, laboratory communication expenses, and academic paper submission fees.
The student was also made to run personal errands, such as secondhand trading of bookshelves, watering plants, and ordering food like hamburgers and inari sushi. The committee determined that the use of terms like “Com” or “ComCom” when addressing the student on KakaoTalk and other platforms was intended to demand immediate responses and caused humiliation.
From July 2024 over the course of a year, there were 143 KakaoTalk messages sent outside of work hours and on holidays. The student was asked to continue laboratory work even after employment elsewhere, and was found to have written technical advisory reports requested by external organizations or companies on behalf of the professors.
Professor A was listed as the corresponding author on two research papers published in academic journals where the graduate student was the first author, receiving a research achievement evaluation score of 97.5 points.
In the case of Professor B, the student was made to perform personal errands, handle abnormal receipt processing, and prepare lectures, and was subjected to derogatory remarks. There were also large, seemingly purposeless account transactions involving several million won.
Professor B also exerted excessive pressure on the student, telling them they must work through the night until leaving the lab when they were about to start a job, and sent 120 KakaoTalk messages outside of work hours and on holidays.
Like Professor A, Professor B used the slang term “Com” when addressing the student and made insulting remarks about the student sending files in PDF instead of Hangeul format.
After the incident, Jeonnam National University held a total of 10 fact-finding committee meetings at one- to two-week intervals to investigate the allegations raised.
The committee found that, in terms of workload, the deceased student was responsible for about twice the average number of projects typically assigned to graduate students and had to juggle the work of two professors, resulting in an excessive burden.
Although compensation for research project work was paid normally, no wages were provided for performing personal tasks for the professors.
The committee concluded that both professors engaged in abuse of authority, exercised superiority over the deceased, made unreasonable demands, and subjected the student to inappropriate treatment.
On November 26, Jeonnam National University delivered the investigation report to the bereaved family. On October 30, the university suspended the advisor involved and is currently proceeding with disciplinary action against both professors, while the police are also conducting an investigation.
The university also plans to broadly review the academic and research environment for student researchers, including graduate students, as well as the human rights protection system and wage payment structures. Efforts will be made to improve accessibility and promote the use of surveys and psychological counseling programs to increase actual utilization.
A Jeonnam National University official stated, “We will do our utmost to ensure that the bereaved family’s requests are fully reflected, and we will continue to pursue institutional improvements to enhance graduate student rights and the research environment.”
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