Education Committee's State Audit Focuses on Kangwon National University's Confucius Institute Operations and Professor Misconduct

National University Presidents and Hospital Directors Taking an Oath (Daegu=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hyun-tae = Presidents and hospital directors from Kyungpook National University, Kangwon National University, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Kangwon National University Hospital, Kyungpook National University Dental Hospital, and Gangneung-Wonju National University Dental Hospital, who attended the National Assembly Education Committee's State Audit held at the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education on the 22nd, are taking an oath. 2025.10.22 mtkht@yna.co.kr

During the state audit of Kyungpook National University and Kangwon National University, among others, held by the National Assembly Education Committee on the 22nd, audit committee members primarily questioned Kangwon National University's Confucius Institute operations and professor misconduct.

Rep. Seo Ji-young (People Power Party, Dongnae-gu, Busan) pointed out, "The Confucius Institute has been designated as a spy agency by the U.S. FBI, yet it is being operated by Kangwon National University." She added, "If the Confucius Institute, which has become a tool for Chinese ideological propaganda and is facing expulsion movements in countries like the U.S., does not align with national identity, its expulsion should be considered."

She continued, "In the Chinese calligraphy competition held at Kangwon National University's Confucius Institute in 2022, a work that wrote a poem glorifying Mao Zedong's Long March of the Red Army, known as the founding myth of China, won the grand prize." She emphasized, "Thorough verification of the Confucius Institute is necessary, and we must conduct such verification as we believe it should be expelled."

Audit team leader Rep. Cho Jung-hoon (People Power Party, proportional representation) also stated, "It is inappropriate for the influence of the Chinese Communist Party to enter Kangwon National University," and requested, "Please review the audit committee members' points and decide on the closure of the Confucius Institute before the final audit."

Rep. Ko Min-jung (Democratic Party of Korea, Gwangjin-gu B, Seoul) agreed with Rep. Seo Ji-young's opinion, stating, "I echo Rep. Seo Ji-young's view. I understand that there are about 23-24 Confucius Institutes operating nationwide, but the closure of Confucius Institutes is not a matter for the President of Kangwon National University to decide alone; it requires consultation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs."

Numerous criticisms were also raised regarding professor misconduct at Kangwon National University during the state audit.

Rep. Jung Eul-ho (Democratic Party of Korea, proportional representation) pointed out, "Within a single year at Kangwon National University, serious misconduct such as embezzlement of research funds and misappropriation of labor costs has occurred consecutively. However, due to the school's leniency towards the involved professors and teaching assistants, neither internal investigations nor disciplinary actions have been taken."

Regarding the professor misconduct at Kangwon National University, Rep. Cho Jung-hoon remarked, "It is questionable whether Kangwon National University, where clear criminal acts have occurred, is qualified to be a regional hub university."

In response, Kangwon National University President Jung Jae-yeon stated, "We have strived to strengthen research ethics, but I apologize to the region and students regarding the misconduct cases related to research fund execution. We will initiate disciplinary procedures for the professors involved, referencing cases from other universities, and establish countermeasures to change the system to prevent recurrence in the future."

Additionally, audit committee members questioned Kyungpook National University's low performance in budget execution related to the Glocal University 30 project, the leakage of Kyungpook National University student personal information, and the shortage of residents in essential departments at national university hospitals following the medical dispute. Yonhap News