Massive Protests Erupt Over Co-education Plans at Korea’s Women’s Universities, An Alumni Celebrity Also Signs Petition

South Korea’s prestigious women’s universities, long considered bastions of women’s education and empowerment, are facing intense student-led protests. The uproar began when students at institutions like Sungshin Women’s University and Dongduk Women’s University discovered that their administrations were secretly planning transitions to co-education without consulting the student body.

The Centers of Controversy

Sungshin and Dongduk universities have become the epicenters of the protests, with students expressing outrage over the lack of transparency and the perceived betrayal of their institutions’ founding principles.

On November 11–12, Dongduk Women’s University erupted in protests as hundreds of students boycotted classes and occupied campus buildings. Protesters defaced campus property with spray-painted messages like “No to Coeducation” and draped funeral wreaths around the campus bearing slogans opposing the proposed changes. The statue of the university’s founder, Cho Dong Sik, was pelted with eggs and ketchup, symbolizing student anger.

The backlash stemmed from the university’s “Vision 2040” development plan. Students discovered that under this proposal, the school had already admitted six male students into its Korean Language & Culture Studies program—an undergraduate program historically reserved for international women students. The administration insisted this was a trial limited to international students, but the lack of communication left students feeling blindsided and betrayed.

A History of Violence and Fear

Many students argue that the move towards co-education undermines the safe spaces that women’s universities provide in South Korea’s often hostile social environment. Protest leaders, such as Dongduk’s emergency committee co-chair Lee Song Yi, have pointed to high-profile incidents of gender-based violence that contribute to their fears. These include the 2018 Sindang Station murder, the “Busan roundhouse kick” assault, and cases of harassment and assault on university campuses.

These incidents have amplified concerns that integrating male students into these institutions could further compromise women’s safety and their right to exclusive educational spaces.

Wider Solidarity Across Women’s Universities

Students from other women’s colleges, including Ewha University and Seoul Women’s University, joined the protests at Dongduk, demonstrating widespread opposition to the move. Following these demonstrations, similar protests broke out at Sungshin Women’s University on November 15. Over 1,200 students attended, objecting to the administration’s decision to admit male students into its International School of Korean Culture and Technology starting in the 2025 spring semester.

The protests at Sungshin mirrored those at Dongduk, with campus walls plastered in hand-written posters and funeral wreaths condemning the administration’s decision. Students have organized sit-ins and vowed to continue until the proposal is withdrawn.

Administrative Response and Escalation

The administrations at both universities have been accused of mishandling the protests. At Sungshin, the use of toxic thinners to erase protest messages sparked further outrage. At Dongduk, male professors allegedly used physical force against student protesters.

On November 11, tensions at Dongduk escalated when students attempted to storm the president’s office, prompting police intervention. In a now-viral incident, a police officer was caught on video making a sexist remark, telling students to stop their actions as they would “be giving birth to babies in the future.” The comment enraged the protesters, who shouted back in defiance, further intensifying the confrontation.

A Precedent for Victory

This is not the first time South Korean women’s universities have faced backlash over co-education proposals. In 2015, Duksung Women’s University faced similar protests, as did Sungshin Women’s University in 2018. Both institutions ultimately withdrew their plans following fierce student opposition.

Students at Dongduk and Sungshin hope to replicate these successes. As the protests continue, they demand transparency from their administrations and a complete reversal of the co-education decisions.

A Celebrity Alumni Spoke Up

Amid calls for alumni celebrities, including Han Hye-jin, to show their support, Kim Soo-jung became the first to publicly declare her stance.

Kim Soo-jung shared her participation in the petition via her SNS, writing, “There are so many people in the world I just don’t understand.”

Following her post, some netizens began leaving malicious comments on her Instagram.

In response, Kim Soo-jung captured and shared a screenshot of sexually harassing comments posted about her on the online forum DC Inside. She criticized the attackers, “You think I’d want to attend a coeducational school after seeing guys like you? I really dislike gloomy, inadequate men like you. You’re not even men.”

Since then, her Instagram has been filled with supportive comments.

Netizens wrote messages such as, “As expected from the ‘Correct Answer Girl’, always speaking up with the right words”, “I support you for voicing your beliefs”, “The men swarming here to leave hateful comments are disgusting. They’re proving why women are feminists these days” and “Why are men trying to silence a woman speaking up about her alma mater’s current situation?”

Kim Soo-jung continued to express her support for the protesting students through her posts.

She shared that she was listening to songs such as “Girls Never Die” by tripleS and “Wonder Woman” by SeeYa, Davichi and T-ara.

The lyrics of these songs convey themes of resilience and courage in the face of adversity, with lines like, “I’ll go all the way, I won’t give up” and “Women, don’t be intimidated, stand proud and shout. Men, step aside.”

News of Kim Soo-jung’s public support for the Dongduk Women’s University students also led to a surge of comments on her YouTube channel. While her videos typically garnered only a few dozen comments, her most recent video received over 2,000 comments, turning into a battleground of support and criticism.

Supporters praised her bravery, commenting, “It’s cool to see you have such conviction”, “Subscribing from today” and “Make sure to sue the malicious commenters and sexual harassers.” Critics, however, expressed disapproval, “Looks like you’re riding the wrong wave” and “Not going to watch anymore.”

One netizen on X (formerly Twitter) called out alumni celebrities, listing names such as Kim Ah-joong, Hello Venus’ Nara, Jo Yoon-hee, Girl’s Day Minah, Park Si-eun, KARA’s Park Gyuri, WJSN’s Soobin, Ivy and others, urging them to “use their positive influence and protect their alma mater”.

Source: Koreaboo and Nate