As university public forums face threats from prior censorship and financial restrictions, calls for the Education Ministry to take proactive oversight and implement effective preventive measures have emerged in the National Assembly.
During the 2026 National Audit, Rep. Baek Seung-a of the Democratic Party criticized the Education Ministry for its negligence regarding violations of press freedom at universities, urging it to report effective measures against incidents of press suppression at Soongsil University and Dongduk Women's University before the comprehensive audit.
According to data obtained by Aju Economy from Rep. Baek's office, the operating rate of university newspapers in South Korea plummeted from 90.7% in 1995 to 71.4% in 2025, based on a report by the Korea Press Foundation. The foundation of university newspapers is increasingly shaky, with over half (55.0%) of students never reading their campus newspapers after enrollment, highlighting the accelerating crisis due to infringements on editorial rights and institutional oppression.
At Soongsil University, the campus newspaper Soongdae Times faced prior censorship in 2021 when a weekly professor pre-approved an article criticizing the president's interview on in-person classes, leading to the unilateral dismissal of all reporters. Despite the Education Ministry's on-site investigation and recommendations at the time, the university amended its regulations in May 2023 to grant editorial, distribution, and appointment rights to the weekly professor, adding provisions to discipline student reporters who do not comply with the guidance of the weekly and professional committee.
Similarly, the editorial committee of Dongduk Women's University’s publication Mokhwa has experienced prior censorship over three times in the past five years due to critical reporting. In 2025, the university unilaterally removed the voluntary payment item for the publication fee (2,000 won per student) from tuition bills, halting its funding. Subsequently, students raised approximately 6.89 million won through a crowdfunding campaign to produce the 55th issue, Transition, but the university announced plans to confiscate all copies, citing lack of prior approval from the president, leading to ongoing tensions.
In response, the Education Ministry stated in a written reply that “student media activities, including student self-governance, are encouraged and protected under Article 12 of the Higher Education Act, and matters regarding their organization and operation should be determined by university regulations, respecting the autonomy defined by the Constitution.”
The ministry further asserted, “We will appropriately guide and supervise to prevent violations of press freedom by university regulations and take necessary actions if instances of suppression or legal violations against affiliated media are confirmed.”
Additionally, the ministry noted that Dongduk Women's University revised its publication approval process from a prior approval system to a notification system as of September 21.
The University Media Network (Daewonnet) and other university media representatives also urged for immediate corrective measures and changes from the Education Ministry, calling for the abolition of prior approval regulations in university rules, remnants of the Yushin era, and the establishment of institutional safeguards to ensure the independence of university media.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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