The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) found that a domestic university's removal of wall posters posted by students on grounds such as lack of prior approval violated freedom of expression.
According to the NHRCK on the 21st, B, who is enrolled at A University, and C filed a petition with the commission in May last year, arguing that the school's removal of the wall posters was unjust.
B posted a wall poster commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Sewol ferry on a bulletin board in front of a campus building last year. The wall poster was produced in A1 size (eight times the area of A4 paper) and put up, but the school removed it, saying it violated promotional material size rules and the posting approval procedure. B then made the wall poster in A4 size according to the rules and put it up again. The school removed the wall poster again, saying prior approval had not been obtained.
B explained that the student concluded it was unjust for the school to conduct prior censorship of wall posters and to apply the student discipline rules that punish students engaged in political activities unrelated to academics for not obtaining prior approval.
C produced and posted a wall poster last year stating that there was a shortage of major faculty, a lack of educational buildings, outdated practice room environments, and that newly established departments lacked employment expertise, and calling on the school to create a better educational environment. After C put up wall posters at the central library and the student union on campus and then tried to put one up on the bulletin board of the international hall, a facilities team staff member stopped the attempt. A school staff member then removed wall posters that had been put on the doors of other buildings.
In response, the school told the NHRCK that there had been no cases in which disciplinary action was taken solely because political activity-related postings were put up on campus. It also said that promotional materials must be produced in A4 size and may be posted only after obtaining prior approval from the head of the relevant department.
The NHRCK pointed out that, under the school's rules, students' political and social opinions and opinions on school operations cannot be included in promotional materials. In fact, the petitioners' postings were removed even from the general student council bulletin board. It also said that if all promotional materials intended to convey students' opinions must obtain prior approval, it could fundamentally restrict sound expression of opinions.
The NHRCK recommended that A University prepare measures such as allowing the general student council bulletin board to be used freely without prior approval so that students' freedom of expression is not excessively restricted. It also urged the university to revise its disciplinary rules related to political expression unrelated to academics.