Korea Univ. May Give Up Plans to Establish Law School

Korea University is proposing to cancel the school’s plans to establish a law school. An official announcement is expected on Feb. 14.

On Wednesday, Korea University President Lee Ki-soo attended a plenary meeting organized by the school`s law professors, and discussed whether or not to forfeit the right to establish a law school.

In the over 2-hour-long meeting, many law professors said that the current law school plan had many problems, and that the quota of 120 students that the school received from the government was insufficient to run a law school. They reportedly agreed to cancel plans to establish a law school and to maintain the current law college system for the time being.

Originally, the professors planned to hold discussions on the program’s cancellation. However, they thought the issue could not be decided by law professors alone. The professors will now hold consultations with school administrators.

Hah Gyeong-hyo, the dean of the College of Law, said, “As a responsible university, we thought that we should raise questions about the law school program and decided to review various countermeasures. Basically, the law professors agreed with the university president that the quota of students allocated is too small, and that it is desirable to keep the current law college system in place for the time being.”

The dean added, “It is a good idea that we maintain the current undergraduate system by giving them a well-planned legal education, and then to send them to law school. We will consult with the administration, alumni and students before announcing our final decision on Thursday or Friday.”

If the university establishes a law school, it has to give up not only the current college of law but also the graduate school for legal studies, a specialized graduate program. Under current education law, a university has to dismantle a specialized graduate school if it plans to open a new professional graduate school in the same field.

Seoul National University will not give up its plans to establish a law school but some private institutions can follow Korea University’s footsteps.

A dean of a private College of Law, who asked for anonymity, said, “Largely, mid- to top-level universities in Seoul hold the common opinion that the planned law school system is ill-conceived. If Korean University decides to cancel, my university will hold similar discussions.”

The Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development said, “If universities give up the law school quota assigned to them, the quota will go to other schools.”

Presidents of 20 private universities, which applied for a law school, will hold a meeting to talk about the matter on Feb. 14. Sogang University President Sohn Byung-doo, who chairs the Korean Council for University Education, and Korea University President Lee Ki-soo will also attend the meeting.

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