The Korea University (KU) Occupation Committee held a press conference on December 26  to officially signal the end of the Main Hall occupation and announce that the demands of the Student Assembly held on November 28 have been largely met. 

The occupation, which started due to the school faculty locking students out of the Main Hall, lasted from November 24 to December 26, during which the Occupation Committee continued to rail against Future (Crimson) College and called for its complete abolishment. The Student Assembly of November 28 reaffirmed this antagonistic sentiment toward Future (Crimson) College and the Occupation Committee eventually managed to cancel the first General Affairs Committee Meeting on December 9. In the end, President Yeom conceded defeat and abolished all plans for Future (Crimson) College and changes to school regulations. 

The Student President of the Business School fundamentally accused Future (Crimson) College of being unresponsive to the criticism leveled against it by both students and professors, and attempting to conceal its vague objective of academic integration by changing the name from Future College to Crimson College. He pointed out the inevitability of the Student Assembly and the school rescinding the Future (Crimson) College plans. In conclusion, he commented that Korea University should be a place for pursuing truth, not profits. 

Intermittently, Yeon Eun Jung ('11, Korean Language Education) and other speakers criticized the perversion of universities into corporations and certain press outlets for not corroborating their criticisms of the Main Hall occupation. Meanwhile, the Student President of the College of Education, Kim Dong Hyun (Korean Language Education), pointed to the occupation as demonstrating the tenacity and solidarity of KU students, and urged people to continue voicing their dissent against the school officials. He emphasized the importance of remembering the original purpose of universities and making sure that nobody is marginalized. 

Lee Seung Jun ('11, Psychology), the President of the 49th KUSA (Korea University Student Association) Eumjul, reiterated that the Future (Crimson) College plans have been completely rescinded and announced that a new Council would be created that allows students to become part of the decision making process. He focused on the fact that students have traditionally not been part of momentous decisions, and emphasized that it is the right of students to partake in the decision making process. Lastly, he thanked the Occupation Committee and all KU students for contributing to the democratization of KU. 

 

   
▲ Former KUSA President Park Se-Hoon speaking before the press. Photographed by Kim Seung Hyun
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