"Presidential Candidates Selected by Students Rejected by Ministry of Education" ... Gongju National University of Education Protests

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] After the Ministry of Education rejected the appointment of the first-choice candidate for president recommended by the students, professors, and staff of Gongju National University of Education, the school community strongly protested.

The Gongju National University of Education Student Council plans to issue a statement on the afternoon of the 13th in front of the school’s main gate condemning the Ministry of Education for refusing to recommend the appointment of Lee Myung-ju (59, Professor of Education), the candidate selected by the school.

The university’s Presidential Appointment Recommendation Committee also agreed to express opposition to the Ministry of Education’s directive to reselect the presidential candidate. The committee’s resolution will include participation from all internal groups, including students, professors, and staff.

Previously, in September last year, the professors, students, and staff of Gongju National University of Education elected Professor Lee as the first-choice candidate for president through a direct election vote (with 66.4% of the vote), raising expectations both inside and outside the school that the university’s first alumnus president (17th class of Gongju National University of Education) would emerge.

However, on the 6th, after deliberation by the Education Public Officials Personnel Committee, the Ministry of Education replied, "We will not recommend the appointment of Professor Lee as president, so please reselect the candidate." No separate reasons for the refusal to recommend the appointment were disclosed.

The Gongju National University of Education Student Council stated, "In the first direct presidential election involving students, 66.4% of the school community, including 82.4% of students, supported this candidate, but the Ministry of Education refused to recommend the appointment without providing any reasons," and insisted, "The Ministry must clearly disclose reasons for the refusal that the school community can accept."

Professor Lee also said, "There is nothing that violates the seven major personnel verification criteria for public officials, so it is regrettable that the Ministry of Education made this decision after nearly three months of deliberation without any inquiries or confirmation with the candidate himself."

Gongju National University of Education’s previous president’s term ended last month. With the Ministry of Education’s refusal to recommend the appointment and the resulting backlash, it is expected that the presidency will remain vacant for the time being.

Currently, for national and public universities, the university’s Presidential Appointment Candidate Recommendation Committee recommends two candidates to the Ministry of Education, which conducts a suitability review, recommends to the president, and the president appoints. In August 2017, the Ministry of Education improved the system to allow universities to directly select and recommend the first and second choice candidates to correct the previously unilateral appointment process for national university presidents.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.