South Korean Civil Groups Demand Expulsion of CCP’s Confucius Institutes

Two civil groups in South Korea are demanding the CCP-backed Confucius Institutes be expelled from the country.

South Korean civil society organizations “Citizens for Unveiling Confucius Institute (CUCI)” and”‘CCP (Chinese Communist Party) Out” held a press conference on Monday local time in front of Gyemyung University in Daegu and Dong-A University and Dong-A University in Busan to call for the expulsion of Confucius Institute.

The global movement to expel Confucius Institutes has been accelerating, especially in the United States and Europe, as it has been gradually revealed that, contrary to the Chinese regime’s claims that it is a Chinese language and culture institution, it is actually an overseas propaganda arm of the CCP.

“Korea was the first country in the world to establish Confucius Institutes, and it has the third-highest number globally and the highest in Asia. However, the Ministry of Education and each university have remained silent,” said Han Min-Ho, president of CUCI.

“Keeping Confucius Institutes in existence despite the fact that their true identity has been exposed is an act of treason and a betrayal of students by cooperating with the Chinese Communist Party’s operations,” he added.

The groups have been touring Confucius Institutes at 22 universities nationwide, starting with Jeju National University and Halla University in Jeju on April 18, and holding press conferences calling for their expulsion.

In particular, on May 10, the group visited the Ministry of Education in Sejong City, expressing grave concerns about the ministry’s neglect in overseeing Confucius Institutes.

According to the CUCI, as public opinion heated up with calls for Confucius Institutes to be expelled, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul and Confucius Institutes have been desperately trying to calm down the agitation quietly by visiting all 24 Confucius Institutes across the country, while avoiding public confrontation.

The Confucius Institute openly acts as a platform to spread the CCP’s propaganda in South Korea. During a Dec. 9, 2022, forum for directors of the Confucius Institute of Korea hosted by the Confucius Institute of Korea and organized by Honam University, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming praised CCP leader Xi Jinping and said “China will provide more opportunities for countries around the world, including Korea, and make greater contributions to the progress of all mankind.”

The groups called for a public debate with the Confucius Institute Association, a CUCI official said.

They plan to conclude their three-day nationwide press tour with visits to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies on May 24 and the Confucius Institute in Seoul on May 31.