Dongguk University is considering closing the department of North Korea studies, the oldest such department in the country, as part of restructuring, the student council of the university said Tuesday.

According to the student body, they have been notified by the school management about the plan to merge or close several departments, including North Korea studies.

The school management plans to continue North Korea studies as a liaison subject which students can take in conjunction with their first major. But it will not accept freshmen from 2013, effectively closing the department.

The department was established in 1994 to produce professionals in North Korea and unification studies.

“It’s not a final decision and the school is expected to make a final decision after consultation with faculty members and students of the department,” a professor of the department said, requesting anonymity.

About 40 students occupied the school’s main building after hearing the department faces closure. They also formed an emergency committee to keep their department open, while starting a signature-collecting campaign.

“The school management is pushing for school system reform without considering students’ opinions. They are fooling us around even as we pay a huge amount of tuition for the school,” said Kwon Ki-hong, president of the student body.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)