Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

What are "research funds" in Korea?
Professor Diverts Research Funds
According to the Korea Research Foundation, it discovered a woman professor of the education college at Ewha Womans University misappropriated about 17 million won of research funds supported by the government. This was done while conducting a study for which the government annually provides 100 million won since September of last year. This is not the first time that research funds diversion cases by professors were discovered. In February, five Yonsei University professors were found to have used 120 million won, about 10 percent of the total 1.2 billion won of government subsidies, for personal use. A Korea University professor was also arrested in March on charges of diverting 370 million won of government subsidies.

A survey conducted by Korea University's student council in March showed that some 60 percent of graduate students of the school hadn't received any research funds. About 35 percent of those surveyed also said they don't know the amount of the total subsidies for their works as professors have full control over the funds.
http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200405/kt2004051717523511990.htm

[rok_the-boat]

Surprise surprise.

[Real Reality]

Stop corruption in academia
Prosecutors plan to investigate a professor of engineering at Seoul National University who is accused of swindling a government office out of 100 million won ($100,000) from a research grant. It is hardly news that a university professor has misappropriated money for research activities. This merely showcases deep-rooted corruption in academia. It is said scholars joke that the Korea Research Foundation Fund is for whoever finds it first, as are donations and subsidies from businesses. This time, it seems that even a professor at Seoul National University, the most prestigious university in Korea, is not above such practices.
The methods used to misuse funds are diverse. The funds most commonly exploited are those paid to graduate students for their labor. Professors use various excuses to withhold the money from them, such as saying that they need it to rent a venue for a seminar. They also inflate labor costs by including students who didn't take part in a project, then appropriate the balance for their personal use. Swindling meager research subsidies from students, who depend on these professors for recommendations for employment, is not what an educator should be doing. There are other methods, such as getting false receipts from suppliers of research materials, or pretending to pay for materials with a credit card, then getting a refund from the supplier. We are shocked at the serious level of corruption at universities.
Editorial, JoongAng Daily (April 27, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200504/27/200504272153216879900090109011.html

[Real Reality]

Corrupt professors common, students say
Following yesterday's allegation that a professor at Seoul National University misappropriated research grant funds, a number of graduate assistants across Korea have come forward with similar charges about professors. A 39-year-old engineering professor at Seoul National University is being investigated for forging a credit card receipt for laboratory equipment he never purchased. He was reimbursed by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, one of a number of government agencies and private companies that funded his research. He was also accused of keeping graduate assistants' stipends. His misappropriations allegedly totaled 100 million won ($100,000).

According to students who called the JoongAng Ilbo, such research grant fraud is common among professors. Many students say they decided not to become whistleblowers for fear of jeopardizing their academic futures. For instance, a Korea University professor who embezzled more than 300 million won last year was only fined 20 million won, and was not punished by the school.
by Baek Il-hyun and Kim Ho-jeong, JoongAng Daily (April 28, 2005)
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200504/27/200504272214239309900090409041.html