A statue of the university’s founder, Cho Dong-sik, was pelted with eggs and ketchup. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Dongduk Women’s University has decided to halt discussions on transitioning to a coeducational institution following weeks of student protests, temporarily ending a sit-in occupation. However, the controversy has reignited broader societal debates about gender conflicts in South Korea.
Anonymous online forums such as “Blind,” popular among professionals, have seen posts targeting graduates of women’s universities, with some users stating they would avoid hiring alumni of these schools. In response, the government has initiated an investigation into potential gender discrimination.
Amid the controversy, hate speech has proliferated. On one side, some posts mock or demean female protestors. On the other, female-dominated online communities have circulated derogatory remarks about men, with one defending a student who damaged a statue of the university’s founder by calling it “a mere inanimate object” and dismissing the outrage of male critics.
The original issue of transitioning Dongduk Women’s University into a coeducational institution appears to have been overshadowed by the escalating gender divide. Critics argue that women’s universities have become less relevant in an era when female college enrollment surpasses that of males. Data shows that 76.9% of South Korean women pursue higher education, compared to 73.1% of men.
“There’s little justification today for the existence of women’s universities as a societal necessity,” said Park Nam-ki, a professor at Gwangju National University of Education. “Their role in addressing gender inequality or creating a harmonious society is less convincing than in the past.”
Proponents of women’s universities, however, argue that structural inequalities still justify their presence. South Korea continues to rank last in gender equality among OECD nations, according to the Economist’s 2023 “Glass Ceiling Index.” Meanwhile, government data reveals a 26.3% gender pay gap in public companies as of September.
“Women’s universities remain essential as a stepping stone toward gender equality,” said Yun Kim Ji-young, a philosophy professor at Changwon National University. She emphasized that these institutions provide critical spaces for advancing women’s education and research amid persistent inequalities in pay, employment, and leadership opportunities.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
