Dongduk students all want protest graffiti cleaned up, but disagree on who should cover cost
Published: 14 Nov. 2025, 17:17
![Graduates pose for a commemorative photo during a commencement ceremony at Dongduk Women’s University in Seoul on Feb. 21. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/faf08b2b-6d5c-4da6-b61a-c73ba03f1784.jpg)
Graduates pose for a commemorative photo during a commencement ceremony at Dongduk Women’s University in Seoul on Feb. 21. [YONHAP]
Four in 10 students at Dongduk Women’s University believe the school should cover the cost of removing the spray paint applied by protesters on campus facilities last year, according to a recent survey.
The university’s emergency student council shared on Wednesday the results of a facilities restoration committee survey conducted from Nov. 1 to 6 on social media. A total of 725 students participated. The committee is a joint body formed to discuss spray paint removal, with four representatives each from the school and the student body.
A large majority of students said restoration work should be completed quickly. According to the survey, 95.2 percent of respondents agreed that cleanup related to the spray paint is necessary, and 85.5 percent said removal should be carried out “as soon as possible, ideally by next month.”
Regarding how to fund the cleanup, 53.1 percent said that using either school funds or voluntary donations alone would be difficult, and that “a combination of donations and school funds” should be used.
Meanwhile, 42.1 percent said school funds alone should cover the cost, arguing that the situation arose “because the school failed to communicate.” Only 4.8 percent said the expenses should be covered entirely through donations from members of the university community, including students, faculty, staff and alumni.
![The area around the Centennial Hall at Dongduk Women’s University in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, shows a disrupted scene amid student protests against the school’s potential transition to a coeducational system. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/14/37c2ee1b-a137-44d0-af7d-cfe10fb2e3fe.jpg)
The area around the Centennial Hall at Dongduk Women’s University in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, shows a disrupted scene amid student protests against the school’s potential transition to a coeducational system. [NEWS1]
“The discussion on facility restoration has begun, but the issue has not yet been resolved,” the emergency student council said. “Based on the survey results, we will enter detailed discussions with the school regarding timing and costs.”
Students previously occupied the main building for 24 days in November 2024 after accusing the university of secretly pursuing a transition to a coeducational model. Protesters also spray-painted campus facilities as an act of protest.
The university estimated the damage caused by the occupation and spray painting at up to 5.4 billion won ($3.7 million) and filed a police complaint against 21 students, including the student council president, on charges including joint property damage and unlawful entry into a structure.
Although the school later submitted a petition to withdraw the complaint and expressed no desire to pursue punishment, police continued the investigation, explaining that the charges were neither complaint-based nor crime not prosecuted against objection. The protesters were sent to prosecutors without detention in June.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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