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As the role of Kyung Hee University (KHU) International Student Association (ISA) is confined to the Seoul Campus, Global Campus is virtually vacant with the representative body for the international students. Despite several departments having continued discussion on establishing such a body, no visible institutional changes have been made so far. As frustration among international students continues to grow, tangible approach in these discussions is urgently needed. 

An international student is having difficulty finding academic-related information 

Photo: Weekly Chosun (weekly.chosun.com)

ISA Functions Only in Seoul, Global Campus Left in a Blind Spot 

According to the ISA Regulation, its purpose is “to establish, research, and update welfare policies for all KHU international students; provide accurate information, and protect their legitimate rights and interests.” Based on this mandate, the ISA has carried out various activities, including posting official announcements and operating partnership programs and events for international students. 

In practice, however, most of its programs are limited to Seoul. Participation in ISA events, recruitment, and voting is limited to international students at the Seoul Campus. In fact, a recent day-trip program to Nami Island was explicitly advertised for “undergraduate Seoul Campus international students.” 

When asked about this, the ISA responded, “Under our internal policy, we do not respond to the media,” and added that it would “refuse to answer all questions.” 

The 14th ISA of KHU 

Photo: KHU ISA’s Instagram (instagram.com)

The limited participation of Global Campus international students is closely tied to funding. According to Financial Management Regulation, a portion of KHU’s student self-governance funding comes from the self-governing fee included in the tuition. Because the ISA receives these fees from Seoul Campus students, its activities have stayed largely there. 

This arrangement helps explain why Global Campus international students have been left out, but it does not lessen their frustration. Tsui Manki, a student in the Dept. of Industrial Design, stated, “I do feel it is unfortunate. KHU has a high proportion of international students, not only in Seoul but also at the Global Campus. Since there is no representative body here, we miss the chance to receive focused support or have a unified platform to promote activities and express our opinions.” 

She added, “I believe the Global Campus also deserves to have its own representative body for international students.” 

Talks Continue, but No Change in Sight 

Talks about creating a Global Campus ISA have continued since 2024. In the 2024 Global Campus General Student Association (GSA) election, the slate Running proposed the establishment of a Global Campus ISA as one of its campaign pledges. After winning, it continued discussions but ultimately backed off. 

Running explained, “We believed it would be controversial for one self-governing body to create another self-governing organization. Therefore, we decided not to establish such a group and instead pursued an alternative approach.” 

The current Global Campus GSA, Core, also discussed the issue with the Office of International Affairs (OIA), but has not reached a solution. They stated, “We had a strong interest in establishing an ISA and held multiple discussions with the OIA. However, these efforts were ultimately not realized.” 

As a partial measure, Running revised the Global Campus GSA Bylaws to include a provision allowing the establishment of an International Students Committee when necessary. 

In response to this revision, various university departments have made efforts to change. The International Students and Scholars Services (ISSS) stated, “Along with the GSA’s Welfare Affairs Department, the ISSS, and the Student Support Center held multiple meetings to form an international student committee.” 

However, the new initiative ultimately failed to make progress. Core explained, “We determined that it would be difficult to establish the International Students Committee this year. Although we held numerous discussions with the ISSS, the proposal could not move forward due to a shortage of personnel and institutional infrastructure to operate it, and there were serious concerns about the system’s effectiveness.” 

It added, “If the need becomes clearer in the future, it may be possible to establish it.” 

“Where Do We Speak Up?” International Students Left Stranded 

Due to the absence of a proper body to communicate with the University, Global Campus international students now rely on ineffective channels to voice their concerns. Khaing Thant Sin, a student in the Dept. of Architecture Engineering, stated, “Since there is no student organization that officially represents us, we usually share our opinions in informal ways, such as speaking directly to academic advisors or contacting the OIA. Sometimes, we also discuss issues among ourselves through group chats or social media, and then try to deliver our opinions to school staff or the international office.” 

He added, “But honestly, it is not always very effective, because there is no official system that gathers and represents the voices of all international students.” 

Li Anastasiia, a student in the Dept. of Korean Language, shared a similar concern: “When I experience inconvenience in campus life or have questions, I usually contact the ISSS. However, they are part of the university administration, and since there is no organization that represents us, it is difficult to properly voice out our opinions,” she said. 

KHUddy, a cultural exchange club for international students on the Global Campus, has also encountered similar challenges. Baek Hye-su, a former president of KHUddy, explained, “International students often contact our club for help, and their questions are not limited to club activities. They often ask about visa issues or university systems.” 

She added, “What is most unfortunate is that we do not have enough authority to actually help them. We are just a student club, so all we can do is guide them to the appropriate departments that might be able to assist.” She continued, “Sometimes, we privately help them, because, as a club, we cannot officially intervene in other groups’ roles.” 

The ISSS also expressed a similar concerns. The team stated, “We currently serve as a contact point for requests and complaints from international students in Global Campus, but there are clear limitations to what we can do.” 

They added, “If a representative body that could protect the rights of international students and support their autonomous activities existed, it could function as an official communication channel for cooperation.” 

They concluded by saying, “We are currently operating various programs to manage students’ stay in Korea and support their residence, academic work, and career development. If such an organization is established in the future, we could connect those programs more effectively.” 

As the ISA’s authority is limited to the Seoul Campus, Global Campus international students have been left behind. Although the Global Campus has discussed creating a representative body multiple times, these efforts have yet to be realized. As international students remain unable to effectively raise their concerns, greater institutional effort is urgently needed. For a campus that enrolls and depends on international students, closing that gap may require more than meetings and pledges.