HUFS Emergency Planning Committee (EPC) of Seoul Campus occupied the President’s Office from Aug. 10 to 18, opposing the university’s decision to appoint former President Park Chul as an honorary professor while he is suspected of embezzling school funds.

About 40 HUFSans including the EPC began occupying the President’s Office on Aug. 10, saying, “The school should withdraw its plan to nominate former President Park as he was sentenced to a fine from the first trial for violating the Private School Act and usurping school funds.”

The EPC reached this decision at an emergency student meeting earlier in the day. Before they started their action, they talked with current President Kim In-chul but failed to lessen the big divide on the issue.

The EPC president, Lee Seul said, “We finally chose to occupy the President’s Office as the two sides could not narrow their differences in the conversation.”

During the demonstration, President Kim talked with the EPC twice more. In both of two talks, Kim emphasized the school would carry out its plan. “The university’s resolution has no problem on technicalities” claimed Kim. Furthermore, The Council of Professors even criticized the EPC that their action was wrong.

As the school stands its ground, the EPC decided to finish the eight-day protest on Aug. 18 and instead undertake other effective ways of revoking the nomination.
Former President Park was fined ten million won from the first trial in June on a charge of spending billions of won in university funds for a suit against the school union during his incumbency of 2006~2014.

By Lee Jae-won