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Cult activity on university campuses: Kindness or recruitment?

Published: 17 Mar. 2026, 15:57 Updated: 17 Mar. 2026, 18:20

LEE TAE-HEE
[email protected]

International students eat and talk among each other at a university campus in Seoul on April 9, 2025. [YONHAP]

Religious cults have long been a problem in Korea, and university campuses are no exception.

In their efforts to recruit new members, cults often seek individuals who appear vulnerable, naive or easily influenced. As a result, university students, particularly international students and exchange students, can be prime targets.

“When those students adapt to a new environment, they often need help from Koreans,” said Chung Mee-hyun, a professor at Yonsei University’s United Graduate School of Theology and the former dean of the university’s chaplaincy. “If they feel lonely or anxious, they may be more vulnerable to listen to or follow individuals who approach them under the guise of kindness. University areas and their surrounding neighborhoods thus provide an environment that is highly conducive to cult activities.”

With the new semester having begun last week, many university groups and clubs are looking to recruit new members.

But students, particularly freshmen, have been warned to remain wary of cult recruiters.

A day on campus

On March 4, Korea JoongAng Daily reporters spent the day at Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, to observe campus activity.

The campus was bustling with the excitement that arrives with the start of a new semester. Students crowded the common areas, making it difficult to find seating, and those part of various university clubs — representing hobbies and interests such as fencing and music — lined the walkways, handing out flyers and attempting to recruit new members.

Students enjoy the spring festival at Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, in this photo from 2024. [YONHAP]

Reporters saw one person distributing chocolate cookies and flyers detailing religious beliefs, but the individual belonged to an evangelical Christian club registered on the university website — not a cult.

“I don’t think that they had any bad intentions, and I also don’t have any negative opinions about Christianity,” said an Ewha student who had been approached by the Christian club.

Like Ewha, many universities formally recognize religious student groups on campus by registering their information on a database for all legitimate clubs, and the database can often be found on the school website. Seoul National University, Yonsei University and Hongik University all have this system in place.

Ewha Womans University's registered club system is seen in this screenshot taken on March 13. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

At Yonsei University, there are official guidelines for religious clubs on campus. Groups must be registered and meet the following criteria: whether the clubs are built upon Yonsei’s founding philosophy and Christian values, whether the club has been a regular member of the Yonsei Christian Students Union for a year or more and whether the club’s campus missionaries are part of a recognized and sound Christian denomination.

Registered groups are also given name tags, which members must wear when conducting missionary activities on campus.

Over the course of the day, the reporters themselves were never approached by religious clubs or any groups that appeared to be cult-affiliated.

Students report mixed experiences with cult groups

Speaking to students at Ewha, the prospect of cults on campus did not seem to be a pressing concern. Some told the Korea JoongAng Daily they hadn’t even heard about the issue, let alone been approached by cult members.

“I didn’t even know that [cults] were going around here or that it was a problem,” a foreign exchange student said.

The campus of Ewha Womans University campus in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, is seen in this file photo from 2025. [EWHA WOMANS UNIVERSITY]

Others were aware of religious cults’ presence on campus and had run-ins with them every once in a while.

According to these students, members of these groups would typically ask for their name, where they were from and their religious background before handing them flyers and inviting them to events.

However, they didn’t consider this a big issue.

“[The cult members] are always super friendly and really nice. They don’t really concern me because I haven’t had a bad experience with them so far,” said an international student from Germany. “I normally just say that I’m not interested and they’re O.K. with that and leave.”

But some students were a bit more skeptical.

Alina Berg, a student at Hanyang University, has remained wary ever since a friend of hers was invited to a party, which turned out to be a meeting for a religious cult.

“Afterward, [the cult members] kept trying to contact my friend because they had her phone number from the event registration details,” even though it was clear she was not interested, said Berg.

Berg herself had been approached by cult groups on campus a couple of times. The individuals would often pretend to ask for directions as an excuse to talk to her. But after students complained about the issue to the university, she says they disappeared around her campus quite quickly.

Students exit an exam venue at Ewha Womans University in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, in this image from 2024. [NEWS1]

Lin Phyu Sin Thant, a student from Myanmar at Inha University, has also had awkward encounters with cults. She was once approached while studying for her exams.

“As soon as she started speaking to me, I knew that she was probably from a cult,” said Thant. “She kept insisting that I give her 10 more minutes even after I told her I was busy and not interested.”

What should students do if they are approached?

You can’t always avoid encounters with potential cult groups. But when you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, how you respond can make a difference.

Prof. Chung said that students must “think critically for themselves and ask questions” to determine if someone may be a cause for concern.

“Students should carefully identify groups that approach them with excessive kindness and then gradually begin to exert mental or physical control.”

The chaplaincy office at Yonsei University in Seodaemun district, western Seoul, is seen in this undated file photo. [YONSEI UNIVERSITY]

Students say that when such encounters do occur, being firm about their disinterest and physically removing themselves from the situation are the strategies that have worked best.

“Just telling them that you are late for class and the professor will be angry is a good excuse,” said a student from Ewha Womans University.

Some students added that in the past, they were able to avoid uncomfortable encounters by pretending not to speak Korean, but the method works less well now.

“These days, [cults] also use foreigners to recruit foreign students,” said Thant. “So that is a development on their part.”

Experts agreed that students should prioritize their own comfort and safety.

“If students experience harm from religious groups, they shouldn’t keep it to themselves,” said Prof. Chung. “They should inform those around them or proper university organizations, such as the chaplaincy.”

BY ALICIA CARR [[email protected]]

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Cult activity on university campuses: Kindness or recruitment?

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