SNU Expel Student Accused of Sexual Misconduct

A student charged for sexual misconduct was expelled by the school authority, marking the first case that a university took such a severe action.

Seoul National University (SNU) officials said yesterday that the university student disciplinary committee (chairperson Lee Hyun-Gu vice president of SNU) held a meeting on Dec. 10th and decided to expel Lee (24) for sexually assaulting female students.

Lee`s case of sexual misconduct was referred to the student disciplinary committee following the request of the campus counseling center on 12th last month. The counseling center had launched an investigation on the case in March after eight female students from SNU and another university filed a complaint.

The committee decided the expulsion of the suspected student admitting the fact of habitually committed sexual assaults on female students after three rounds of discussions, and notified to Lee his expulsion on 13th through the related process such as the approval of the president.

The expulsion order is the severest action that a school can take toward its students, and the expelled student is not to be readmitted to the school again.

Thus far, in cases of sexual harassment or assault, Seoul National University has demanded the public apology or voluntary withdrawal by the sexual offenders through the close examination by the investigation committee comprised of students. It is for the first time that the school authority ordered the expulsion.

But Lee expressed that he would not accept the school`s expulsion, saying that he did not use any force in his sexual encounters with the female students, and suggested that he would appeal to the court.

A SNU official said that "School made such a decision through the close investigation of the counseling center in order to prevent legal struggle. And the disciplinary committee went through the necessary formalities in the presence of offender and its victims. I hope that this decision by the school would contribute for preventing the recurrence of sexual assaults within the school."

Chang-Won Kim changkim@donga.com