"Kim In-cheol Rewards Long-term Service to Sexual Harassment Perpetrator Professor During Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Presidency"

by Cho Seongpill

Published 18 Apr.2022 20:35(KST)

Kim In-cheol, candidate for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, arrived at the confirmation hearing preparation office set up at the Korea Educational Facilities Safety Institute in Yeouido, Seoul, on the 14th, responding to questions from the press. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] It has been revealed that Kim In-cheol, the nominee for Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, awarded a professor who was severely disciplined for sexual harassment and sexual misconduct of students during his tenure as president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, citing "long-term service" as the reason.

According to Yoon Young-deok, a member of the National Assembly's Education Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, in 2019 when Kim was president, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies gave Professor A a commendation for 10 years of service along with a reward of 3 don of pure gold (currently worth about 890,000 KRW). Prior to this, Professor A was identified as a 'Me Too perpetrator' in 2018 for sexually harassing and sexually misconducting students and was disciplined with a three-month suspension by the disciplinary committee.

According to Article 4 of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' "Regulations on Awards for Long-term Service, etc.," those with 20 years of service receive 3 don of pure gold, those with 20 years receive 5 don, those with 30 years receive 10 don, and retirees receive 5 don of pure gold. Article 5 of this regulation states that "the recommendation and awarding of rewards are decided by the president upon the recommendation of the head of the administrative support office."

Based on this clause, Representative Yoon pointed out that Kim decided on the award for Professor A. Yoon said, "As an educator, Kim showed a lack of gender sensitivity," adding, "It is inappropriate to reward a professor who was disciplined for sexual-related issues simply because there was no administrative procedural problem."