Disgraced soprano sues SNU for reinstatement

Former music professor and acclaimed soprano Kim In-hei has sued Seoul National University to get her job back.

In filings to Seoul Administrative Court, Kim, who was dismissed from SNU for abusing her students, defended her alleged violence as disciplinary action. She also claimed that the school’s decision to dismiss and fine her 12 million won ($10,000) was ill-informed.

In February, SNU got a tip from an unnamed whistleblower that Kim often beat her students during class or when they did not “offer cordial gratitude” after concerts, presentations and other occasions. She was also accused of having used one of the university’s concert halls without due procedure to let her daughter prepare for the school’s entrance examination in 2005.

Kim said the school had encouraged students to overstate the violence of her actions during its internal investigation. She filed a petition with the school management in April but was rejected.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)