Dongguk University: The Japan Sexual Violence Case, Racial Power, and the Cartel of Silence

04 May, 2025

A 2000 case involving a Dongguk University professor's sexual violence against a Japanese alumna exposes not only the deep-rooted culture of impunity and institutional complicity in Korean academia, but also the racial power dynamics that leave foreign women especially vulnerable—and unprotected.

The Incident: Racialized Sexual Violence and Institutional Betrayal

In July 2000, Professor K from Dongguk University, while in Japan as a visiting researcher, forcibly sexually assaulted a Japanese woman who had previously taken his class. The survivor, Ms. M, described how the professor groped and kissed her after a night of drinking, then attempted to evade responsibility by having his wife call her and offering to speak to the Korean consul on her behalf. When Ms. M demanded an apology, Professor K continued to deflect and deny.

This was not just a case of sexual violence—it was a case of a Korean professor exploiting his power over a foreign woman, confident that the Korean university and authorities would protect him. The survivor's foreign status made her even more isolated and vulnerable, as documented in Korea Times: Foreign women speak out about their experiences of sexual violence in Korea and our own analysis of racism and fetishization.

Institutional Response: Racial Solidarity, Delay, and Denial

When Ms. M threatened legal action, Dongguk University called Professor K back to Korea. Despite the survivor's detailed account, the professor denied all wrongdoing. Students demanded a public apology and real accountability. Initially, Dongguk's disciplinary committee suspended Professor K, but a wave of petitions—led by fellow professors—called for leniency, arguing that dismissal would undermine faculty authority. The Ministry of Education ultimately reinstated Professor K, stating that dismissal was "too harsh" despite acknowledging that sexual violence likely occurred.

This is a textbook example of Korean authorities and institutions closing ranks to protect a Korean perpetrator, even when the victim is a foreign woman. The message is clear: the reputation and "livelihood" of a Korean professor matter more than justice for a foreign survivor.

The Cost to Survivors: Isolation, Retaliation, and Racialized Blame

While the professor was shielded by faculty solidarity and bureaucratic leniency, the survivor faced isolation, victim-blaming, and career instability. Ms. M was forced to file a civil suit after criminal charges failed due to "insufficient evidence"—a common outcome when power imbalances and institutional interests override justice. Rumors about her motives and character spread, and the case became a tool in departmental factionalism. The fact that she was Japanese only made it easier for the university community to dismiss her and protect their own.

Hallyu as a Smokescreen: The Truth Behind the Image

Korea's government and universities aggressively market the country as modern, safe, and progressive—a global leader in culture and education. But as our exposés and systemic analysis show, Hallyu is a smokescreen for a system that prioritizes money, reputation, and face-saving over the safety and rights of women—especially foreign women. The Dongguk Japan case is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of racialized sexual violence, institutional cover-up, and government inaction.

"The rights of women who have been victimized by sexual assault is a basic, fundamental human rights issue. Korea's standing as a guarantor of basic human rights and social justice will be determined in no insignificant measure by how well it aids and protects victims." (Korea Times)

Why This Matters

The Dongguk Japan case reveals the structural and racial barriers to justice for survivors of sexual violence in Korean academia: faculty solidarity, administrative inertia, and a culture that values reputation and national image over accountability. As long as these patterns persist, universities like Dongguk will remain unsafe for students—especially women and international students.

For more on Dongguk's decade of sexual violence negligence, see:

This post is based on reporting by Kim So-hee. Read the original article in Korean.