National Changwon University faculty council to hold no-confidence vote for president

The faculty council at National Changwon University (NCU) is holding a no-confidence vote for its president, Park Min-won, on June 22-23. The vote, conducted online, will be considered valid if more than 193 of the 385 eligible full-time professors participate. A majority vote in favor of no confidence would pass the motion, though it carries no legal power to dismiss the president.

This vote stems from a faculty meeting on June 17, where 222 members participated. Of those, 133 voted in favor of holding a no-confidence vote, 18 against, and 2 abstained, indicating strong support for the motion. The faculty council cited several reasons for their dissatisfaction, including alleged attempts to dismantle NCU by transforming it into the Changwon Institute of Science and Technology, abuses of power in appointments, unfair distribution of new faculty, ignoring decisions from the University Council, and autocratic management of the university.

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Even if the faculty council decides on a no-confidence vote, it has no legal effect. However, we hope the president takes it seriously, apologizes to the injured members of the campus community, and deals with campus issues with a forward-looking attitude different from before. The faculty council will watch to see if the president changes and respond accordingly.

The central point of contention is the proposed conversion of NCU into a science and technology institute. President Park Min-won has explored this possibility since his inauguration in 2024, and it was also a campaign promise of Gyeongsangnam-do Governor Park Wan-soo. However, the faculty council argues that this transformation would effectively dissolve the existing comprehensive national university and destroy its academic ecosystem, demanding an immediate halt to such initiatives without internal consensus.

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The university is precisely where democratization is most needed. I hope the faculty council's no-confidence vote is understood as part of the university's democratization process.

Lee Jang-hee, chairman of the NCU faculty council, emphasized that while the no-confidence vote lacks legal force, they hope the president will take it seriously, apologize to the affected members, and adopt a more constructive approach to university issues. He views the faculty's action as part of a broader process of democratization within the university.

In response, President Park Min-won stated at a press conference on June 18 that he desires constructive discussion and deliberation for the university's development. He acknowledged that no one opposes change and innovation, and proposed forming a discussion body to explore alternatives within the current national university framework. He committed to holding at least three explanatory sessions, surveys, and forums to ensure all members' opinions are reflected, and pledged to abide by the outcome.

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I hope we can have discussions and deliberations for the sound development of the university. No one in the campus community opposes change and innovation. We will discuss alternatives possible within the current national university system, not limited to specific measures. We will form a consultative body for discussion. We will hold at least three explanatory sessions, surveys, and forums. We will create a conclusion that meticulously reflects the opinions of each member. We will follow the opinions of the members, whatever the decision.