Megastudy CEO Son Joo-eun. - Photo: Yonhap
SEOUL: Son Joo-eun, CEO of Korea's top online private education company, Megastudy, is facing a backlash for inappropriate remarks during a recent lecture to high school students in Daegu.
Speaking to approximately 500 first- and second-year students from a high school in the southern city on Friday (Nov 22), Son called for affirmative action for teenage mothers in college admissions.
He called it a “special admissions policy allowing adolescent girls who gave birth to have strong advantages in the college admission process.”
“If people don’t have children, Korea cannot sustain itself. Having children is more important than going to college. I hope female students reconsider their stance on not having children.”
Son also seemed to disparage one of his former students -- whom he described as not academically strong -- by comparing her to a sex worker, saying, "I told her, ‘If you keep living like this, your life will turn out worse than a prostitute's.'"
Students who attended the lecture immediately expressed discomfort with his remarks, with some stating they felt "sexual shame," local media reported.
In response to growing complaints from both students and parents, Megastudy delivered a written apology to the school on behalf of Son on Monday.
"Some of his remarks while sharing stories of his former students, who changed their lives through studying, may have caused discomfort.
"We sincerely apologise for any unintended offense," the company said in the statement. - The Korea Herald/ANN
