AKS Excluded from Ministry of Education Briefing... Emergency Board Meeting on the 14th Amid Calls for Leadership Resignation

Faculty Council of the Academy of Korean Studies
"Kim Joosung and Kim Naknyeon Must Resign for Undermining Institutional Independence"
Formal Resignation Request Expected at Emergency Board Meeting on the 14th

The Academy of Korean Studies (AKS), a public institution under the Ministry of Education that conducts in-depth research and education on Korean culture, has fallen into internal turmoil. Amid collective resignations by key officials in protest against the chairman and president, the institution was excluded from the Ministry of Education’s work briefing. While the ministry has decided to reschedule the briefing once the institution is normalized, tensions are expected to continue as the Faculty Council-comprising 48 out of 53 professors-has also called for the voluntary resignation of the institution’s leadership.

Yonhap News Agency

According to academic sources on January 13, the Academy of Korean Studies will hold an emergency board meeting on January 14. Although the agenda has not been disclosed, it is expected to include a proposal demanding the voluntary resignation of President Kim Naknyeon and Chairman Kim Joosung. An official from the academy stated, “The ex officio board members have already urged both the president and chairman to resign. At this emergency board meeting, it is likely that a formal demand for their resignation will be made.”

Previously, on January 9, the Faculty Council of the Academy of Korean Studies issued a statement demanding the immediate resignation of the chairman and president, stating that they had undermined the institution’s independence and constitutional order.

The Faculty Council criticized Chairman Kim Joosung for “violating the basic principles and procedures of public institution management by providing a status report to former National Education Commission Chairperson Lee Bayong, who visited the institution privately in 2024.” Chairman Kim, who previously served as principal of the Reebak School’s political academy, sparked controversy for submitting an absence note to the National Assembly during the Reebak School hearings, citing his grandson’s birthday in the United States as the reason for his nonattendance. It is said that President Kim Naknyeon was appointed immediately after the meeting between Chairman Kim and former Chairperson Lee. The Faculty Council also criticized President Kim for attempting to appoint individuals associated with the Nakseongdae Economic Research Institute as professors after taking office. The Nakseongdae Economic Research Institute is known for including New Right figures who advocate the colonial modernization theory.

An official from the academy stated, “All key officials resigned on December 31 of last year and January 2 of this year, demanding the resignation of the chairman and president. While President Kim initially appeared likely to step down if all officials resigned, he completely reversed his stance within a few days, so the internal conflict may last longer than expected.”