Dongduk Women's University faces threat after announcing transition to coeducational system
Published: 04 Dec. 2025, 11:12
Updated: 04 Dec. 2025, 18:55
![The entrance to Dongduk Women's University's Centennial Memorial Hall in Seongbuk District, central Seoul, is covered in signs and paint protesting the university discussing changing into a coeducational institution on Dec. 3, 2024. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2025/12/04/a5512d7b-bb11-48d6-8169-4a01fd5648ba.jpg)
The entrance to Dongduk Women's University's Centennial Memorial Hall in Seongbuk District, central Seoul, is covered in signs and paint protesting the university discussing changing into a coeducational institution on Dec. 3, 2024. [NEWS1]
Police are investigating an online post threatening a stabbing at Dongduk Women’s University, posted shortly after the school announced it would move forward with a transition to a coeducational system, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday.
Namdaemun Police Precinct in Jung District, central Seoul, received a report that a post warning of a stabbing at the school was uploaded on Wednesday afternoon and is currently tracking down the online user.
The post reportedly included the English phrase saying that it was ready to go to school, along with a photo of a knife placed inside a bag.
Earlier that day, Dongduk Women’s University President Kim Myung-ae announced that the school would accept the coeducation recommendation issued Tuesday by its public deliberation committee. She said the school is planning to implement the change and begin accepting male students starting in 2029, when currently enrolled students are expected to graduate.
Kim noted that the recommendation was the result of months of deliberation involving faculty, students, staff and alumni since June, describing it as a collective judgment about the university’s future direction.
She added that although survey results showed more support for coeducation, the university “takes seriously” the continuing opposition and concerns expressed by current students.
“We fully understand the pride you have in the values and traditions built as an institution for women’s higher education, and we deeply empathize with the worries you may feel throughout this transition,” she said.
The university said it will finalize its policy after going through further discussions and decision-making processes with related councils and committees. The administration also plans to hold a session this month to explain the matter in detail to members of the campus community.
Dongduk Women’s University faced major controversy in November last year when students opposed to coeducation occupied the main building and spray painted university facilities. The administration and students later agreed to end the conflict and set up the public deliberation committee to continue discussions on the matter.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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