Challenges for International Faculty at Seoul National University
Seoul National University (SNU), while attracting international scholars, faces criticism for lacking extensive support systems to help foreign professors navigate life and work in Korea. Despite recent upgrades to its international affairs infrastructure, a dedicated unit to assist foreign faculty remains absent, leaving professors to rely on departmental support with uncertain outcomes.
According to Professor Fischer, a foreign faculty member at SNU, “There is nobody for foreign professors… If we have proposals or need administrative help, we can only raise it at the department level – and there is no guarantee it will ever be addressed or resolved at the university level.”
this lack of centralized support extends beyond administrative tasks. Professor John DiMoia, of SNU’s Department of Korean History, emphasizes the need for assistance in understanding Korean institutional culture, rather than simply translation services. He argues the system often operates under the assumption that all faculty,regardless of origin,will instinctively understand Korean norms.
DiMoia recounted a personal experience during contract signing, where a routine request for fingerprinting for a police background check felt intrusive. “For me, fingerprinting is associated with criminal processing and a violation of privacy,” he explained, highlighting the value of contextual description for those unfamiliar with Korean procedures.
Securing long-term housing presents another meaningful obstacle. High rental deposits, limited loan access, and the complexities of the jeonse system – a unique korean rental arrangement involving a large, interest-free deposit in lieu of monthly rent - create substantial difficulties. Professor Fischer described jeonse as “locking up most of your savings in a system you don’t understand – a contract written in Korean,with a landlord you’ve never met. It feels like taking a huge risk.”
while SNU offers limited faculty housing, it is capped at a seven-year duration, and the university currently has no plans for expansion. Recent policy changes restricting property purchases by foreigners have further elaborate long-term settlement prospects, according to Professor Steinegger.
Faculty members suggest that even a single dedicated contact person or a specialized university body could substantially ease the settling-in process.
SNU officials acknowledge the challenges but state that the Office of International Affairs (OIA) already provides various support programs to assist foreign professors with campus life and adjustment.However,the absence of a dedicated unit specifically focused on the needs of foreign faculty continues to be a point of concern.
