PRESS RELEASE: Buddhist University Turns Blind Eye to Sexual Violence Risk

25 Apr, 2025

Link back to the timeline at genderwatchdog.org

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2025

Contact: genderwatchdog@proton.me

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — Dongguk University, a prominent Buddhist-affiliated institution in Seoul, is facing international scrutiny after investigations revealed systemic failures to address sexual violence risks in its film and media programs. This institutional negligence stands in stark contrast to Buddhist principles of compassion, ethical conduct, and harm reduction.

Buddhist Values Betrayed

The same university that once sued Yale University for damaging its reputation now faces its own crisis of integrity. In 2008, during the infamous "Shingate Scandal," Dongguk filed a $50 million lawsuit against Yale, claiming reputational harm. Today, the university's failure to implement basic protections against sexual violence represents the worst kind of hypocrisy from an institution founded on Buddhist ethical principles.

"Buddhism teaches that ethical conduct and compassion must guide all actions, particularly towards vulnerable individuals," notes Gender Watchdog, the research collective that documented these institutional failures. "Yet Dongguk's institutional silence sends precisely the opposite message: protection of power, denial of accountability, and indifference toward suffering."

High-Risk Structural Failures

The Korean Women's Development Institute (KWDI) has identified arts education programs as environments with significantly higher rates of sexual violence. Dongguk University exhibits multiple high-risk factors identified in this research:

Zero female faculty in its prestigious graduate film program as of 2025
No independent reporting system for students experiencing sexual violence
Abolition of the Women's Student Council in 2018 during the height of Korea's #MeToo movement
Shared campus space with commercial film companies (e.g., Sidus FNH), blurring lines between academic authority and industry power

Documented Pattern of Sexual Violence and Institutional Negligence

A 2016 case exemplifies Dongguk's problematic approach to sexual violence. A Media Communication professor was prosecuted for sexually assaulting a female graduate student after a drinking meeting in November 2015. Despite the university being aware of the case by February 2016, Dongguk took no immediate action. The university waited six months, only requesting the professor's resignation after receiving formal verification of his indictment.

Students expressed concerns about the university's handling of the case, specifically noting the school's failure to take a clear public stance. This incident led to Dongguk's "Professor Replacement Policy" in August 2016—a paper tiger that offered minimal protections and failed to address the institutional culture enabling such abuses.

International Partners Questioning Relationships

Multiple North American universities listed as "partners" on Dongguk's website have confirmed they have no active relationships with the institution. When contacted about the situation, responses included:

Canada: "We do not have a student exchange agreement with Dongguk University."

United States: "We are undergoing a review of all of our exchange partners and will take this into consideration."

Global University Rankings Organization: "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We've forwarded this to our management for their attention."

Timeline of Institutional Negligence

2008: Shingate Scandal - Dongguk sues Yale University for $50 million
November 2015: Media Communication professor sexually assaults female graduate student
February-August 2016: Dongguk aware of assault but takes no immediate action
August 2016: "Professor Replacement Policy" introduced as minimal protection for students
2018: Women's Student Council abolished during Korea's #MeToo movement peak
2020: KWDI publishes landmark report on sexual violence in arts education
March-April 2025: Multiple unanswered emails to Dongguk administration
April 5-6, 2025: University's dismissive response: "For what purpose did you send the e-mail?"
April 8, 2025: Canadian university denies having any partnership with Dongguk despite being listed on their website; two U.S. universities indicate they are reviewing their relationship with Dongguk; global university ranking organization forwards concerns to management
Since April 8, 2025: Complete institutional silence despite documented risks

Expert Analysis

The KWDI report, "Sexual Violence in Arts Education After Me Too: Current Status and Policy Issues," identified several factors that make arts programs particularly vulnerable to sexual violence:

Male professors hold disproportionate power despite female students being the majority
The "artist-mentor" relationship extends beyond normal teaching boundaries
Professors serve as crucial industry gatekeepers for students' future careers
"Artistic expression" is often used to justify inappropriate behavior

Call for Institutional Reform

Gender Watchdog calls on Dongguk University to implement meaningful reforms:

Hire female faculty in the graduate film program
Reinstate the Women's Student Council
Establish an independent reporting system for sexual violence
Create clear boundaries between academic programs and commercial film entities
Publish transparent data on sexual violence complaints and institutional responses
Hire intimacy coordinators for classrooms and any settings where scenes depicting intimacy are taught or practiced

About Gender Watchdog

Gender Watchdog is a research collective documenting sexual violence risks and institutional responses in educational settings. Their comprehensive documentation of Dongguk University's case can be accessed at: https://genderwatchdog1.github.io/timeline-website/index.html

Additional Resources

Multilingual Resources Available

Complete documentation is available in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, and Korean at Timeline

Exposing Dongguk University: Racialized Sexual Violence, Institutional Betrayal, and Alleged Public Funds Fraud (2016–2025)