Students who staged a sit-in by occupying campus buildings to protest Dongduk Women's University's push in 2024 to convert to coeducation have been brought to trial.
The Seoul Northern District Prosecutors' Office said on the 25th that it indicted without detention 11 people, including the student body president of Dongduk Women's University, on charges including interference with business, joint refusal to leave, and property damage.
According to prosecutors, from Nov. to Dec. 2024, they are accused of occupying the main building and continuing protests, including spraying lacquer on campus facilities, for about 24 days in opposition to the school's policy to convert to coeducation.
Earlier, the school said the sit-in caused about 4.6 billion won in damages and, in the president's name, filed a complaint with police against 21 people including the student body president, but later withdrew it. However, property damage and interference with business are offenses that can be punished regardless of the victim's desire for punishment, so police continued the investigation and sent the case to prosecutors in June last year.
A prosecution official said, "We plan to respond strictly to illegal group protests in accordance with the law and principles."