Gominjeong "I Cannot Agree with the Undervaluation of My Alma Mater... The Reality Was That Finding a Job Was Difficult"

Kyung Hee University International Campus Student Council to Gominjeong: "Ashamed of Remarks Without Considering Social Impact"
Gominjeong: "Why Can't Kyung Hee Show a More Relaxed Side... Feels Like Watching a War of 'Eul's'"

Ko Min-jung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a greeting speech at the inauguration ceremony of the Special Committee on Social Welfare held at the National Assembly on the afternoon of the 15th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] On the 15th, Go Minjung, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, expressed her position regarding the controversy over referring to Kyung Hee University International Campus as a "branch campus," stating, "I cannot agree with the belittlement of my alma mater."

On that day, Go said in a post on her Facebook, "At that time, not only I but quite a few seniors and juniors found it difficult to get hired by the so-called desired companies. It was a reality that we struggled with employment," explaining her stance.

Earlier, on the 13th, she had announced the proposal of the "Public Institution Fair Recruitment Act," which mandates blind recruitment, through Facebook, saying, "I graduated from Kyung Hee University Suwon Campus, which was then a branch campus, but thanks to this system (blind recruitment), I was able to reach this position," drawing criticism from current students and alumni. As the controversy grew, Go deleted the term "branch campus" and revised her post to say, "I graduated from Kyung Hee University Suwon Campus at that time."

However, the controversy did not subside, and the Kyung Hee University International Campus Student Council issued a statement condemning Go. In the statement, they said, "Do you understand the frustration of alumni and current students who have painstakingly built the dual-campus system, only to see the perception of it collapse through various news articles due to your remarks?" They criticized, "Ignorance of the history of the alma mater, speech and behavior without considering social repercussions, and actions that present uncertain prejudice rather than a better future as a politician are shameful."

Statement released by the Student Council of Kyung Hee University International Campus. Photo by Facebook screenshot

Regarding this, Go said, "The Kyung Hee University International Campus now is different from the school I attended 20 years ago. It has become a completely dualized campus and is indeed a different kind of school. Most people recognize what the current International Campus is like thanks to the efforts of current students and alumni," adding, "Knowing this is why I used the expression 'at that time'."

She also said, "Seeing the flood of messages yesterday and today, I realize once again how much a university label influences our lives," and questioned, "Why is there anger even though I spoke about something that happened over 20 years ago?"

She continued, "We sometimes recall South Korea after the Korean War, when even food was scarce," and said, "When someone from another country asks how Korea, which once lived in hardship, became the South Korea it is today, I do not feel anger. Rather, I feel pride and think about how to convey our experience of leaping from a developing country to a newly industrialized country and then to an advanced country, and how we can show different aspects compared to other advanced countries."

Go then argued, "Why can't Kyung Hee University show such a generous aspect? It feels like watching a war of the underdogs," and said, "Local universities look up to universities in Seoul, Seoul universities look up to SKY universities, and SKY universities look up to studying abroad. Regardless of whether it is local, Seoul, or overseas, we should create a world where people are evaluated based on their abilities, but we fail to break this vicious cycle and keep pulling each other down."

Furthermore, she said, "If the status of the International Campus has changed as current students say, shouldn't we find a way to live together?" and added, "I sincerely applaud the passion of Kyung Hee University students and even the Student Council. The Student Council directly asked the media about the politician's position, students asked individually via text messages, and the office was overwhelmed with calls... I also acted similarly toward the university authorities during my school days, so rather than feeling resentment, I thought it was very student-like."

Finally, she concluded, "Such passion is indeed the privilege of youth," and said, "I heard that the Kyung Hee University International Campus Student Council visited while I was away. I am open to scheduling a meeting afterward. Or you can even bring me directly in front of the students. I will answer your questions," ending her post.

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