Yonsei University dental students made to write public apology letters for wearing shorts

Students at Yonsei University's dental college have been required to write public handwritten apology letters for wearing shorts to school, sparking controversy on campus.

According to Yonsei Chunchu, the university's student newspaper, three dental college students were made to write the letters on Aug. 27 after arriving on campus in shorts and sandals. The college said the students had violated a dress code it had established on its own.

The letters included statements such as "I deeply reflect on having violated the dress code through carelessness," "Chasing comfort with the complacent thought that the weather was hot, I wore shorts while forgetting my duties and the rules as a dental college student," and "This constitutes a serious disqualifying factor as a prospective medical professional." The letters were also posted publicly on a bulletin board inside a dental college classroom.

Criticism has mounted within Yonsei University over what many see as an excessive punishment. Students on the university's online community responded with comments such as "Making the apology letters public was too much," "Isn't this a form of collective bullying?" and "Are students not even allowed to wear shorts and sandals on the way to and from school?" Some dental college students also filed complaints with the university's human rights center in protest of the college's guidelines.

Last year, the dental college posted a dress code notice on its website titled "Appropriate student attire for life at the dental college." Under the policy, students are restricted from wearing short skirts and shorts, sandals, revealing clothing, and accessories that may make others feel uncomfortable.