Korea's Ministry of Education Cancels Degrees Of K-Pop Idols Due To Special Treatment

The college degrees that were obtained by seven K-pop idols have been canceled by the Ministry of Education of South Korea. The action was done after it was found that the school they attended gave them special treatment.

The government agency nullifies the degree of Highlight members Gikwang, Junhyung, Doojoon, BTOB members Eunkwang and Sungjae, former BEAST member Jang Hyunseung, and folk singer Chu Ga Yeoul. All seven attended Dongshin University and took up different bachelor's degrees.

According to the Ministry of Education, Dongshin University has set a rule that approves the broadcast activities of their celebrity students as part of their class attendance records. However, the school's regulations did not take effect until 2015 and there were no provisions that state that the issues relating to class attendance could be managed differently in its department.

It was revealed that prior to 2015, Dongshin University acknowledged the celebrity students as being present even if they did not attend class. As a result, the Ministry of Education deemed that the school provided preferential treatment to the celebrity students and concluded that the attendance of the students is invalid.

Moreover, the agency also stated that the university also went against the regulations when it appointed Choo Ga Yeol as an adjunct professor of the Department of Applied Music. It was revealed that the singer did not have a bachelor's degree at the time he is teaching and at the same he is also enrolled in a regular class.

Apparently, Choo wasn't able to attend his classes because it overlaps with his teaching schedule. Choo's bachelor's degree has been canceled as well as his appointment as an adjunct professor.

Meanwhile, according to Koreaboo, this is not the first time that Dongshin University's preferential treatment to Highlight members has been revealed. In August 2018, a broadcasting station disclosed that the members had received special treatment not only in terms of attendance but also in scholarship and graduation.

At the time, Highlight's agency and a former BEAST manager denied the report and also gave details to support their claim. The manager admitted that the members attend their class but not all, took their exams and also diligently submitted class assignments.