[2021 National Audit] Minor Sex Trade and Sexual Harassment... The Reality of Korean Research Institutes with 'Zero Nobel Prizes'

Kim Young-sik, People Power Party Lawmaker, Analysis of Disciplinary Status of Agencies under the Ministry of Science and ICT in 2021
Widespread Prostitution, Sexual Harassment, and Bullying

Aerial view of Daejeon Daedeok Innopolis. Not related to the article.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] #. The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, which studies the secrets of constellations and the universe, was thrown into turmoil last March. Senior researcher A was caught by the police for engaging in prostitution with a minor through social networking services (SNS). A excused himself by saying, "I did not know the person was a minor, and the other party revealed the truth belatedly," but was ultimately sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year probation. However, the institute’s disciplinary committee decided on a mandatory retirement disposition that allowed him to receive his full severance pay.

Chronic corrupt practices such as sexual harassment, workplace bullying, and participation in substandard academic conferences have not been eradicated within government-funded research institutions.

According to Kim Young-sik, a member of the National Assembly’s Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee from the People Power Party, an analysis of warnings and disciplinary actions from 2016 to last August at 26 government-funded research institutes and 5 ICT promotion agencies under the Ministry of Science and ICT revealed these findings. Among the 26 research institutes, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (577 cases) had the highest total number of disciplinary cases, including warnings and admonitions. The Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (302 cases) and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (295 cases) had the highest number of disciplinary cases above warnings.

At the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, a special audit by the Ministry of Science and ICT was conducted last year due to various misconducts such as verbal abuse and physical assault by the former director and recruitment irregularities. This year alone, there were 76 disciplinary cases, including one salary reduction, one reprimand, and 33 warnings. The reasons included abuse of authority by the head of the institute to provide preferential hiring, failure to comply with regular hiring procedures, improper handling of equipment purchase contracts, and failure to report external lectures.

At the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, disciplinary actions included one dismissal, three demotions, ten suspensions, sixteen salary reductions, thirty reprimands, 194 warnings, and 41 admonitions. Cases involved unauthorized disposal of waste, sexual harassment, and in August this year, two cases of drunk driving were detected, resulting in three-month and one-month salary reductions respectively.

The Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology experienced consecutive sexual harassment incidents in 2020 and 2021. At the Korea Basic Science Institute, a senior in a department was disciplined with a salary reduction for repeatedly sexually harassing a subordinate by urging meetings via phone calls and texts and showing persistent contact and interest.

Among the four major science and technology institutes nationwide, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) had the highest number of disciplinary cases with two dismissals, eight suspensions, four demotions, twelve salary reductions, nine reprimands, 58 warnings, and 109 admonitions. Major violations included participation in substandard academic conferences, improper execution of meeting expenses, research funds, travel expenses, and operating expenses, establishment and operation of profit-making enterprises without approval, and violations of prohibitions on competing business activities.

Meanwhile, among the five ICT promotion agencies (information and communication institutions), the Korea Intelligent Society Information Institute had the highest number of disciplinary cases and serious violations. Specifically, there were two dismissals, one suspension, four salary reductions, seven reprimands, 162 warnings, and 121 admonitions, mostly involving high-ranking officials at levels 1 to 3. This year, violations included failure to report external lectures, duplicate receipt of family allowances, failure to comply with regular hiring procedures, and in 2019 and 2021, sexual harassment cases resulted in dismissal and one-month salary reduction respectively.

Assemblyman Kim Young-sik said, “Government-funded research institutes and ICT promotion agencies play a key role in national research and development projects as representative public research institutions in each technical field. There should be no harm caused to other institutions that are fulfilling their roles due to the misconduct of some institutions or employees.” He added, “Violations must be strictly punished to serve as a warning, and given the nature of research institutions, it is urgent to improve the closed organizational culture and gender sensitivity.”

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