On March 8th, 2018, Nam Jeong-sook, professor of the Graduate School of Culture Management and a group of Kingos announced the “SKKU #MeToo #WithYou Movement Special Committee” and held a press conference in front of the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus’s 600th Anniversary Hall.
Establishment of SKKU #MeToo #WithYou Movement Special Committee
Professor Nam Jeong-sook was repeatedly harassed sexually by Professor Lee Gyeong-hyeon, a graduate school president, while she was in graduate school in 2011. Professor Nam was a full-time professor at the SKKU Graduate School of Cultural Management, and Professor Lee was the president of the graduate school. Professor Lee often indecently assaulted Professor Nam, touching her neck and shoulders. Through the school disciplinary committee, Professor Lee received disciplinary measures and was suspended for three months, which is just below the level of “dismissal”. Professor Nam, who was a temporary full-time professor, received notification of being unqualified for rehiring six months later. The reason was that she had damaged the school’s reputation and a professor’s dignity. During the first trial of Professor Nam’s law suit against Professor Lee, the court acknowledged the sexual harassment and sentenced Professor Lee to pay seven million won in compensation to Professor Nam. Professor Nam, however, still lost her job and sexual harassment problems are still not fully resolved yet. Therefore, she launched the ‘SKKU #MeToo #WithYou Special Committee’ along with 50 Kingos from the class of 1970 to 2018.
Press Conference of the Special Committee
The #MeToo #WithYou Special Committee asked the school to punish Professor Lee further and to bring Professor Nam back to her position as a professor. It argued that the school’s disciplinary committee has been postponing making a decision on whether or not to dismiss Professor Lee. Professor Nam’s reinstatement has still not been settled yet, either. Ham Soo-min (History, 15), a member of the College of Liberal Arts’ Female Committee said, “We will continue to support this movement until the issue of ‘power-tripping’ is resolved and changed.” She also insisted that Kingos gather together to make a better community. Similarly, Lee Ok-hee (Philosophy, 81), a chairman of the #MeToo #WithYou Special Committee, said, “The school’s Gender Equality Center is not doing its job to protect victims properly.” She also stated that the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family (MOGEF) should support universities’ #MeToo movements more actively. In its statement, the committee said it expresses solidarity with the Kingos who have been sexually assaulted by other school members but could not declare or take legal action.
Hereafter the Special Committee
After the press conference, the committee changed its name from the SKKU #MeToo #WithYou Special Committee to the SKKU #MeToo #WithYou Solidarity Group. It also opened a Facebook page to gather news about the school’s #MeToo #WithYou movement. It is going to post posters around campus calling on the student councils and other school groups to join. It also plans to organize activities of solidarity with other universities that have had similar issues as SKKU. Professor Nam will also have a meeting with students. Furthermore, the committee will require the Ministry of Education to do a factual survey on the school’s Gender Equal Center and install an independent organization in order to prevent any recurrences of sexual misconduct.