Jeonnam National University announced on December 16 that it has dismissed Professor A, a tenured faculty member, among two professors who were found to have abused their authority over a graduate student.
The university recently convened a disciplinary committee and made this decision based on the findings of the fact-finding committee's investigation into Professor A.
Research Professor B, a non-tenured faculty member who was also identified as a perpetrator alongside Professor A and whose research contract was nearing its end, was dismissed last month for the same matter.
Professor A was identified as having committed severe abuses along with Professor B, based on evidence such as notes found on the mobile phone of a graduate student who was found dead after falling from a Jeonnam National University dormitory in July of last month.
The three-month investigation by the fact-finding committee revealed that the two professors referred to the graduate student as "Keomkeom," frequently ordered personal errands, made demeaning remarks, and demanded that the student continue to work in the laboratory even after securing employment.
The graduate student was found to have been responsible for about twice the average number of assigned projects, was also handling the work of both professors, and was under excessive workload. Although the student received payment for research project work, no compensation was provided for performing the professors' personal tasks.
A university official stated, "It was concluded that both professors abused their authority, exercised their superior position over the deceased, made unreasonable demands, and subjected the student to inappropriate treatment."
Meanwhile, the police have referred Professor A to the prosecution without detention on charges of abuse of authority and fraud, and Professor B on charges including coercion and fraud.
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