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An image released at a Nov. 22 press conference by the Seoul National University student council

The student councils of Seoul National University (SNU) and Sookmyung Women’s University approved class boycotts amid an outpouring of emergency statements by university students demanding the resignation of President Park Geun-hye.

The SNU student council held a press conference in front of the university’s main building on Nov. 22 to announce the Nov. 30 boycott.

“She has a 5% approval rating, a million candles, and calls for Park Geun-hye’s resignation coming from everywhere, yet the President refuses to budge,” the student council said.

“Since Park Geun-hye has declared that she will not relinquish her position as President, unseating her has now become the single task for the entire public,” it continued.

Members of the student council added that they had “proposed to the SNU faculty community that they join us in the streets on Nov. 30” and “sent a notice to the SNU Faculty Council and Professors for Democracy asking them to join in the boycott.”

The class boycott decision by SNU students was the first since 2011, when another boycott was staged to demand the abandonment of legislation incorporating the university.

The emergency countermeasures committee of the Sookmyung Women‘s University student council also approved a class boycott for Nov. 25. The committee’s decision came after voting by 9,401 students between Nov. 18 and 21, with 4,285 out of 4,763 participants approving it, or 91%.

“The destruction of the Republic of Korea’s political system and abandonment of government authority [by Park] is not something that can be condoned. It should be denounced,” the committee said.

“Through the class boycott, we will reclaim democracy achieved over the Republic of Korea’s long history,” it continued.

National University Student Emergency Council, an organization of student councils and student groups from around 110 universities nationwide, has announced plans for nationwide university student rallies on Nov. 25. Following the class boycott declaration, students are planning to hold rallies on their campuses and demonstrate as a group on Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. Nine universities are known to be currently discussing boycotts, including Korea University, Kookmin University, Dongguk University, Pusan National University, Sungkonghoe University, Yonsei University, and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

By Park Soo-jin, staff reporter

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