Professors abandon students after winning seats in general election

Nine full-time professors are expected to take leave or quit their jobs after winning seats in the latest general election, leaving many university students dumbfounded at seeing a new lecturer suddenly showing up to class.

A classroom at Kangnam University in Yongin, Gyeonggi, where lawmaker-elect Kang Yu-jung used to have her classes is seen open on Wednesday. A new professor began filling in for the class the same day Kang won a proportional representative seat for the Democratic United Party. [PARK JONG-SUH]

Nine full-time professors are expected to take leave or quit their jobs after winning seats in the latest general election, leaving many university students dumbfounded at seeing a new lecturer suddenly showing up to class.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo, there was a total of 15 lawmaker-elects who came from academia this year, including adjunct lecturers, chair professors and professors by special appointment.

On Wednesday, students at Kangnam University in Yongin, Gyeonggi, were confused when a new professor entered a class originally taught by Korean-English cultural content professor Kang Yu-jung.

Kang was elected as a proportional representative of the satellite Democratic United Party in the latest general election.

The new professor explained to the students that the class would be conducted differently after midterms and use new grading rubrics. Students who spent nearly two months in the semester said they "only knew about a new professor taking charge on that day."

Some complained that it was unfair for students who enrolled in the class because they wanted to learn from Professor Kang.

"The professor did not inform us that she might become elected a lawmaker," one student said. "I only learned about her being recommended for the seat from the news."

Lawmaker-elect Kang, speaking with the JoongAng Ilbo, said at the beginning of the semester, she notified students in every class she taught that she might leave during the semester. However, she refrained from discussing her seat recommendation to maintain political neutrality.

Kang Kyung-sook, a professor at Wonkwang University’s Department of Secondary Special Education, was elected a proportional representative of the Rebuilding Korea Party. After conducting five classes in March, she went on leave on April 1. Her classes are now taught by adjunct professors and other lecturers.

There have always been instances of professors — often referred to as "polifessors" in Korea — inadvertently impeding on students' right to learn due to their participation in elections. Currently, there are no specific measures in place to prevent this.

According to the Educational Officials Act, teaching staff at academic institutions are guaranteed a leave of absence when they are appointed as high-ranking public officials. While the law grants lawmaker-elects the ability to resume work as professors, this privilege affects students.

"I need to adapt to a new class again after a month has passed since the semester started," a student said after their professor changed due to the election.

On one hand, some universities say that having professors from the political landscape is an advantage, particularly for the school's image.

"Having professors from the political scene is a good look for schools," a staff member at a university in Seoul said.

But for graduate students, a professor leaving school in the middle of the academic term is a disadvantage, as it often leads to changing their thesis adviser.

Democratic Party lawmaker-elect Cha Ji-ho, a professor of KAIST's master’s program in science journalism, secured his seat to represent Gyeonggi’s Osan in the latest general election. The school is now searching for someone to replace him and advise his graduate students.

Similar incidents have occurred repeatedly in past years. In 2012, Korea University students accused Rep. Lee Man-woo of the Saenuri Party of infringing upon their right to learn as he ended his class early in late May following the election.

Rebuilding Korea Party chief Cho Kuk, a former law professor at Seoul National University, received backlash when he went on leave just six weeks after returning to the university after being appointed justice minister. He served as a senior presidential secretary for civil affairs during the preceding liberal Moon Jae-in administration for two years before coming back to school, only to teach for six weeks.

Due to repeated cases, a law was proposed to prohibit academic staff from serving as senior public officials in 2019. It did not pass through the National Assembly.

"Policies should be improved to at least prevent professors from leaving schools in the middle of the semester," said Park Joo-hyung, a professor at Gyeonggi National University of Education.

BY PARK JONG-SUH, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]