Kim In-hei, 49, vocal music professor of Seoul National University, was sacked on Monday for habitually inflicting violence on her students and other alleged misconduct.

The school’s disciplinary committee decided on Monday to fire her after a marathon discussion. It was the first time that the nation’s top university has dismissed a professor over abuse of students.

The professor was hit by inside reports late last year that she often beat her pupils during her class while teaching vocal lessons and also assaulted them when they did not “offer cordial gratitude” after concerts, presentations and other occasions.

She is also suspected of using her students to sing at her mother-in-law’s 80th birthday. According to the reports, students did not dare to say no to her. Kim is accused of taking expensive gifts from students and pressuring them into buying tickets to her concerts.

She allegedly used a campus concert hall for her daughter to prepare for the school’s entrance exam in 2005. Private use of the hall is barred. Kim’s daughter entered SNU in 2006.

The university will formally notify her of the disciplinary decision as soon as it wins approval from its president.

Kim has denied all of the allegations. A representative of hers said that the professor plans to take legal action as soon as the decision is formally notified. As a government employee, the professor can ask the state appeals commission to review the decision.

(swchun@heraldcorp.com)