It is not unusual for a university faculty member to curry favor with a political party or a political leader. He is willing to sell his academic expertise for his political ambition. He is rightly called a “polifessor,” a derogative term combining politician and professor.
Some polifessors may play constructive roles in pursuit of their personal interests. For instance, they may provide political leaders and their parties with ingenious, yet sound advice in crafting policies.
But many others do have no qualms about helping them justify their questionable policy initiatives with dubious academic theories. Some of the worst cases involved university professors who helped military-backed dictators tighten their grip on power through constitutional amendments in a bygone era.
Of course, their ultimate goal is election or appointment to public office. The pursuit of personal gain by university professors, no matter how repugnant it may be, must be tolerated in a democratic society. It cannot be banned, even if it is all too blatant, given the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of occupation.
Even more annoying, however, is that they are allowed to retain their faculty posts when they are elected or appointed to public positions. All they have to do when they fail to make a successful bid for reelection or reappointment is return to campus. There is no restriction on them resuming their old jobs.
Another unwarranted privilege is the one granted to a lawyer elected to the National Assembly. He is allowed to practice law while serving as a lawmaker. It is not unusual for lawyer-cum-lawmakers to take in hefty legal fees.
Now the National Assembly is in the process of legislation on banning lawmakers from retaining faculty posts, practicing law and withdrawing other privileges granted to them for dubious reasons. Among them is the payment of annuities to all former lawmakers, including those who sat no more than in one session.
The legislation is a follow-up to the campaign promises the ruling Saenuri Party and the opposition Democratic Party made during the run up to the presidential election in December. The parties are also in the process of legislation banning those who have resorted to physical violence during a National Assembly session from being elected to public office when they are sentenced to 5 million won in fines or a more severe punishment.
It goes without saying the legislation process, though long overdue, should be welcomed with open arms. It is better late than never.
But why should the underlying bill make an exception for current members of the National Assembly who hold faculty posts, permitting them to either take leave from their universities until the end of the current National Assembly term or resign from their faculty posts? They should instead be made to choose between politics and academia immediately.
