This is a critical turning point. The confirmation of 3 false or misrepresented partnerships (UBC, University of Southampton, and one Canadian university requesting anonymity) across 2 continents (North America and Europe) transforms what could have been "isolated administrative errors" into a global pattern of systemic fraud.

For over 260 days, Dongguk University has remained silent while we exposed that their "Global Network"—a key selling point for international student recruitment—is built on a foundation of lies.

Live Updates: Follow the coverage on our X (Twitter) Thread. (Note: The thread is in Korean for local impact; English speakers can use the 'Translate' button on the X interface).

The Newest Case: University of Southampton (UK)

Our latest investigation into Dongguk's European partners has revealed a third confirmed case of misrepresentation.

The Lie: Dongguk University lists the University of Southampton (a prestigious UK Russell Group university) as a formal partner on their website.

The Truth: Southampton does not list Dongguk on their official global partnership map. When we asked for simple verification, Southampton's International Recruitment team could not confirm the partnership. Instead, they forwarded our request to their Freedom of Information (FOI) office.

Evidence of Exclusion: While Dongguk is absent, Southampton's official map clearly lists other Korean universities as partners:

Why this matters: If a partnership existed, the answer would be a simple "Yes." Converting the inquiry into a formal legal request (Ref: F-25-0507) indicates that no standard agreement exists.

Furthermore, we found that Southampton only lists a "Summer School" program with Dongguk on a separate blog—a short-term cultural exchange that Dongguk has inflated into a formal academic partnership to boost its prestige.

The Pattern: 40% of Canadian Partnerships Faked

This follows our explosive findings in Canada, where 2 out of 5 (40%) of Dongguk's listed partners have been confirmed as false or disputed.

1. One Canadian University (Name withheld upon request): Directly confirmed to us that "No agreement with Dongguk University exists," despite being listed on Dongguk's site.
2. University of British Columbia (UBC): The BC Information & Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) had to intervene after UBC failed to produce any records of communication with Dongguk for an entire academic year. The FOI office has confirmed no active institutional agreement exists.

FOI request made to UBC

Reason for delay given by UBC

BC OIPC intervened after a complaint was submitted to them

UBC responds to FOI request, after BC OIPC intervention

Strategic Analysis: A Global "House of Cards"

This escalation presents severe risks for universities worldwide that have signed MOUs with Dongguk under false pretenses. Here is how this fraud impacts different global regions:

1. China: The "Face" & Due Diligence Crisis (Tsinghua University)

The MOU signed in early December 2025 between Dongguk's Graduate School of Digital Image and Arts and Tsinghua University's Film & Video Communication Research Center is now a major liability.

Verify the MOU: News Article

Archive

Student Discussion

• "Prestige Contagion": Tsinghua is an elite institution. Discovering that their new partner has been lying about partnerships with other elite schools (UBC, Southampton) is deeply embarrassing. It suggests Dongguk "social climbed" their way into an MOU with Tsinghua by projecting a false global status.
• Student Awareness: With our successful Xiaohongshu campaign (Alias: Ariel) reaching over 50,000 views, Chinese students are increasingly aware of the fraud and safety risks. If Tsinghua sends students to Dongguk who are then harmed, the administration cannot claim ignorance.

2. North America: Liability & Title IX

• Canada is Ground Zero: With a 40% confirmed fraud rate, Dongguk is effectively informally "blacklisted."
• USA & Liability: American universities fear liability above all else. If a US university sends a student to Dongguk, and that student is assaulted (in a department with a 61.5% sexual violence rate), the US university could be sued for negligence for partnering with a school with a documented history of fraud. The "3 confirmed false partners" is the smoking gun for negligence.

3. Europe: Regulatory & GDPR Risks

• UK Precedent: Southampton treating our inquiry as a formal FOI request signals they view this as a legal/regulatory matter, not just an academic one. They are building a paper trail.
• GDPR Violations: Dongguk using European university logos and names without permission (misrepresenting summer schools as partnerships) is a potential legal violation. We expect a wave of "quiet removals" across Europe as universities audit their own status.

4. The Global South: The "Gateway" Lie

Dongguk markets itself to students in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa as a "Global Hub"—a stepping stone to the West.

• Consumer Fraud: Students from Vietnam or Uzbekistan might choose Dongguk thinking it connects them to UBC or Southampton.
• Predatory Recruitment: Dongguk is selling a "Lemon." They are aggressively recruiting international students to meet government quotas by selling a "Global Network" that is riddled with confirmed falsehoods across two continents.

Conclusion

The "3 Confirmed Cases" prove that Dongguk's global reputation is a House of Cards.

Before: They could claim "administrative error" on one case. Now: With one Canadian university (Denied), UBC (FOI confirmed no agreement), and Southampton (Misrepresented Summer School), it is a deliberate strategy of deception.

We call on all international universities listed on Dongguk's website to immediately audit your partnership status. Do not allow your brand to be used to lure students into an unsafe environment.

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Note to Officials and Journalists: We can offer original email .eml files and any other source evidence files to university leadership personnel, accredited journalists, and officials upon request (with the exception of revealing the identity of the Canadian university that requested anonymity).