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Ladders in hand, students continue to protest Dongduk Women's University's decision to go coed

Published: 06 Dec. 2024, 16:04

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

Dongduk Women's University's main building in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, in November 14. [YONHAP]

Ten students from Dongduk Women's University attempted, but ultimately failed, to gain access and occupy the university's main building in protest of the lingering decision to coed the school.

Around 8 p.m. on Thursday, 10 students attempted to enter the university's main building through the windows while using ladders to climb up the three-story building, according to Dongduk Women's University on Friday.

The students weren't able to get in as the windows were fixed shut, and police and firefighters were dispatched to the campus in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul. Students were brought down and sent home, without additional police investigations.

The university's student council officially announced an end to the three-week occupation of the main building on Wednesday, as the school defined the occupation as illegal. Students had been occupying the main building since Nov. 11, in protest of the school's discussion about the possibility of becoming a coed institution.

Following the decision to end the occupation, the university announced that students are prohibited from entering the main building until midnight on Dec. 31.

However, some students have been trying to enter the building again as conflicts remain.

Dongduk Women's University has announced it will halt coed discussions as of now while promising it will include students if it were to start discussions again. But the university is eyeing the near future, with university president Kim Myung-ae stating the school wishes to "begin discussions of a coed proposal through respectful dialogue and constructive debates."

Not having anyone run for next year's student council president is another concern.

Naran, the current student council, is requesting the university discuss with other student representatives even if there is no student council president. An emergency committee will take the place of a student council if there are no candidates. Asking the opinions of the entire student body through announcements on the university online portal is one of the options that were suggested.

The current student council plans to meet with the university again to discuss further details, although a specific date has yet to be decided.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [[email protected]]