In November 2024, two Korean Women’s Universities in Seoul, South Korea, announced plans to begin co-education. Dongduk Women’s University announced this as a proposal for a transition, while Sungshin Women’s University announced that it would open admissions for male university students at its International School of Korean Culture and Technology. Both schools did not consult their students on this transition which generated large student protests against these policies. From November 11 at Dongduk University, students occupied the campus’s main building in protest. These actions are not without precedent: debates surrounding co-education have resurfaced with the lowering birth rates, as well as with increasing anti-feminist rhetoric and villainization that paints women protesting as overstepping despite the fact they maintain rights to higher education.

These proposed policies come at a time when the South Korean birth rate is now the lowest in the world at 0.78 births per woman in 2022. This has caused an accompanying plummet in school-age children between 6 and 21. The number of school-age children has decreased  from 9.18 million in 2014 to 7.14 million in 2024. While changing these women’s universities to coeducation may foster more enrollment and funds for these colleges, it threatens the creative and public freedom of these women. This particularly significant given that these historical institutions that were originally created to allow women to gain higher education in a traditionally patriarchal society.

From the late 19th Century to the 20th Century, Women’s Universities in South Korea were founded to provide Korean women a chance to gain qualifications. With the rise of women’s rights in the West, there was a similar need for Korean women’s rights to an education, as there was no government-mandated education for women. Both genders looked at the introduction of women’s education positively, yet males tended to view this move from a paternal lens, seeing education as a pathway for these women to become ‘better mothers.’ Women, on the other hand, often sought education due to the inability of Korean men to be good fathers and husbands for their families. The first women’s university, Ewha Women’s University was established in 1886. Ewha was the first place to create a public space for women to gain an education and nurture their talents in South Korea’s male dominated society.

When protests kicked off after the surprise announcement, Naran, the Dongduk University council, issued a statement criticizing the move, as these universities were created to foster female talent and create spaces for women. These proposals ignored and disgraced the founding messages of these universities. Currently, South Korea has become increasingly dangerous for women in public spaces. In a study of gender equality, South Korea ranked 94th out of 146 countries, as well as one of few countries in the OECD without a comprehensive anti-discrimination law, as well as the worst gender pay gap. However, under President Yoon Seok Yeol, plans to reverse this seem unlikely. Yoon’s campaign his opposition to the Korean Feminist movement, which since his election, has contributed to a more violent environment for women. This is exemplified by rising anti-feminist stereotypes and a villainization of women who take a stand against such systemic issues.

Since the start of the Dongduk protests against the co-education proposal, demonstrators have occupied the main building, expressed opposition through graffiti, and symbolically laid their school jackets on the campus grounds to demand the proposal's withdrawal. As the protests gained attention online, anti-feminist groups reframed the issue as a feminist agenda, overshadowing the original demand for a safe and inclusive education. According to police reports, on the night of November 12, officers responding to a noise complaint allegedly made remarks to protesters such as, “You will become teachers and later have children and raise them…”. This statement reflects enduring misogynistic attitudes and the historical stereotypes tied to women’s universities in South Korea. Seoul police are also investigating six cases of men threatening Dongduk students and circulating death threats. These incidents highlight increasing hostility driven by anti-feminist rhetoric, which have become increasingly prevalent in South Korea over the past decade. Forced vilification of protests and the misrepresentation of educational rights as feminist activism reflect the broader societal and political climate under President Yoon Seok Yeol. Following President Yoon's decision to enact martial law on December 3, the three-week occupation of Dongduk's main building culminated. However, the university has since announced its intent to pursue legal action against the students involved in the protests.

The protests at Dongduk Women’s University and Sungshin Women’s University against co-education proposals underscore the persistent struggle for women’s rights and gender equality in South Korea. These institutions, historically founded to empower women in a patriarchal society, now face decisions that challenge their original mission while exposing deep societal divides. Declining birth rates and shrinking school-age populations have placed pressure on these universities to adapt, but the lack of transparency and student consultation has fueled widespread resistance. This resistance has been met not only with institutional pushback, but also with societal hostility amplified by rising anti-feminist rhetoric under President Yoon. The protests reveal a pressing need to confront systemic issues such as gender discrimination, the safety of women, and the preservation of spaces that nurture female talent and leadership. As South Korea navigates these challenges, these protests serve as a powerful reminder for the ongoing fight for gender equality and the importance of honoring the legacy of women’s education.

Noah Puzzo is an undergraduate student at American University, studying International Studies and Korean language.