South Korea university accused of discrimination for stating students’ nationality in notice
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A notice posted at a Soongsil University dorm in South Korea stated the nationality of students who were evicted for smoking indoors.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS
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SEOUL – A Seoul-based university has become embroiled in controversy over a notice of disciplinary action against some of its students, after officials stated the students’ nationality even though it was not directly related to their offence.
The notice, posted on Dec 8 at a dormitory of Soongsil University, stated that two students had been evicted from the building for violating the ban on indoor smoking.
The notice listed the offenders’ surnames, their dorm room numbers, the clause they had violated, their punishment and the fact that they were Chinese nationals.
This sparked controversy, as the students’ nationalities were not essential information in the case.
The university said that it was customary to state where the students were from when making such notices, and that there had never been a complaint about the practice in the past.
“(The school) realises that this (practice) may be problematic, and we plan to discuss the matter with students and take necessary measures,” school officials said.
They stressed that they did not intend to stir negative sentiments against the school’s Chinese students.
There are currently close to one million Chinese nationals in South Korea, according to the Ministry of Justice, far more than foreigners of any other country.
But while South Korea and China have long maintained a substantial relationship in fields ranging from business and tourism to education, there have been politically charged anti-Chinese demonstrations by certain groups recently.
Protests against China have been held in areas of Seoul frequented by Chinese tourists, such as Myeongdong.
This has led not only to complaints from foreign nationals and locals alike, but also to criminal charges, with four men currently being investigated for tearing up images of Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing.
A significant portion of the protesters, on the political far right, allege that the Chinese government aided supposed election-rigging by President Lee Jae Myung and his liberal bloc.
The conspiracy theory has been debunked by multiple government investigations, but the protests have continued for months, particularly since former president Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment was confirmed in April. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
