Seoul National University presidential election thrown into uncertainty as board orders additional vetting, postpones interviews

Seoul National University's board of directors has launched additional vetting of the three finalists for the school's 29th president after tips were received about the candidates. Candidate interviews, originally scheduled for Tuesday, have been pushed back to Nov. 8. The university's faculty council said it respects the board's decision to conduct further scrutiny, but urged the university administration to carry out a separate special audit.

The faculty council issued a statement Thursday calling on the university administration to conduct a special audit — independent of the board's review — to determine whether the candidates' conduct met the ethical standards expected of faculty members and complied with university regulations.

"Being a presidential candidate cannot exempt one from the strict standards that apply to ordinary professors," the council said, adding that it trusts the board and the administration will clearly determine the credibility of the whistleblower tips through a thorough and swift investigation.

Faculty Council Chair Lim Jeong-muk said a president's leadership must be grounded not only in outstanding educational ability but also in the character and integrity that serve as a model for fellow professors. "The same rigorous standards that apply to ordinary professors — both those of the university and of the state — must be applied equally to presidential candidates if they are to secure even the minimum legitimacy required of a university president," he said.

The council added that if the tips are substantiated through rigorous verification, the episode could serve as an opportunity for Seoul National University to demonstrate its capacity for self-correction and strengthen trust both on and off campus. It urged members of the university community to trust the relevant institutions and await the results of the investigation.

The additional vetting follows the receipt of tips related to the presidential candidates. Tips about the candidates were first submitted to the faculty council in September and forwarded to the Presidential Recommendation Committee. The committee reviewed the information at the time and concluded there were no issues.

After related whistleblower tips were submitted again recently to the university's audit office, however, the board determined that additional vetting was necessary and made that decision Tuesday. The board postponed the candidate interviews, originally set for Tuesday, to Nov. 8.

The Presidential Recommendation Committee had previously selected three candidates — Kang Jun-ho of the College of Education, Choi Hae-cheon of the College of Engineering and Lee Jae-young of the College of Humanities — following presentations and policy evaluations. One final candidate will be selected after the interview process.

The final candidate will be appointed by the president upon the recommendation of the education minister. The new president's four-year term begins in February next year.