The professor union at Korea National Sport University (KNSU) has voiced strong opposition against what they call unfair hiring practices for full-time faculty, escalating tensions at the nation’s elite sports institution.
In a statement issued on May 12, the KNSU branch of the National University Labor Union demanded an immediate halt to the recruitment process for full-time professors in the second semester of the 2026 academic year. They allege that the university violated laws and manipulated departmental assignments and curriculum arrangements, compromising the fairness of the recruitment system.
According to the union, the job postings for specialized practical fields such as wrestling (Greco-Roman style), fencing, and ice sports were assigned to departments like Exercise and Health Management, Elderly Sports and Welfare, and Social Sports. However, none of these departments have courses related to those practical subjects in their curricula. Professor A from KNSU expressed concern, stating, “It has been indirectly confirmed that many applicants lack the required qualifications or have violated research ethics.”
The union raised three key issues:
1. Distributing practical faculty to departments other than their rightful sports departments is a tactic to bypass the quota system (Article 11-3 of the Educational Public Officials Act and Article 4-3 of the Enforcement Decree), which limits the proportion of hires from specific universities.
2. Hiring faculty based on subjects not included in the curriculum reduces the basic review (major compatibility check) to a mere formality, indicating an abuse of discretion.
3. Assigning professors to unrelated departments severely undermines students’ right to learn and forces the university to hire additional part-time instructors, increasing financial burdens.
The union has demanded that the university immediately suspend the recruitment process for legal verification, provide specific administrative reasons for assigning practical subjects to unrelated departments, and outline plans for actual course allocation. They warned, “We will monitor and take action until the recruitment process secures legal and moral legitimacy.”
