Critics say the library space honoring Chinese leaders highlights Beijing’s influence operations at Seoul National University.
SEOUL – South Korean lawmakers have joined the student’s phone call to close the XI Jinping Collection Room at Seoul National University (SNU).
People Power Party member Na Kyung -Won joined the Truth Forum student group at a gathering on April 15th at the SNU campus. They presented petitions containing more than 2,000 signatures from students and community members.
Speaking at the event, NA warned about the “sharp power” of the CCP. This is a strategy the regime uses to influence other countries through cultural and academic means, aiming to divide or mislead public opinion in its target countries. She said the facilities on the country’s most prestigious campus have more emphasis on XI compared to Korean leaders. She also suggested that the book collection is part of the CCP’s influence manipulation.
Na has called on Seoul to reassess its relationship with Beijing based on fairness and national interests.
The university told the Epoch Times on April 15 that it had removed titles that praised the CCP, praised XI and distorted Northeast Asian history. Access to these tasks requires special requests.
School officials have yet to respond to requests to close rooms completely.
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Members of the Truth Forum said at the rally the facility would help the CCP’s United Front strategy to collaborate with individuals and organizations around the world to promote party interests, silence critics and pilot the global narrative.
They also linked Xi’s book collection to CCP’s “Northeast Project.” This is a state-led initiative that reinterprets ancient Korean history as part of Chinese heritage to promote a “unified multi-ethnic” China.
“This is a historic dishonor for a university considered a beacon of hope,” said Kim Woong, president of Truth forum, at the meeting, pointing to open library spaces downplaying those suffering under the Chinese regime.
“XI Jinping Collection Room” opened in 2015 at SNU’s Central Library. Since 2022, the Truth Forum has questioned its purpose and viewed it as more political than academic.
The student group said SNU officials need to do more to address their concerns.
Other countries, including the US, Sweden and Australia, have taken steps to close CCP-supported Confuc Institutes on university campuses.
The Confucius Institute is under scrutiny from US authorities for violating academic freedom and promoting CCP’s intellectual property theft.
