Pro-North Korean students residing in Japan banned from entering colleges in South Korea

The plan for allowing pro-North Korean (Chochongnyon) students residing in Japan to enroll into colleges in South Korea was dismissed. In the meeting with the officials from Ministry of Education, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Unification, and the National Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Education and Human Resources decided not to allow the proposal made by Pukyong National University to admit the 80 pro-North Korean students residing in Japan through the special enrollment program for overseas residents in 2002.

The government once considered approving the plan to give college admission to the pro-North Korean students residing in Japan. It, however, decided not to allow the plan due to the complexities of the procedure. Although the pro-North Korean residents in Japan are regarded as Korean overseas residents according to the Constitution, they are classified as members of the anti-state organization under the National Security Law. Pukyong National University has been planning to accept the pro-North Korean students, who have either graduated from high schools or completed minimum two years of education in middle and high schools in Japan, through the special enrollment program. Pukyong National University held a promotional conference on the college entrance procedures in Tsushima, Japan, last February.

Ha Joon-Woo hawoo@donga.com