Konkuk University in Seoul has named Song Hee-young, a professor of economics, as its new president.

University officials said Song was elected to the position at a board meeting on Wednesday.

The newly-elected president started teaching at the college of commerce and economics at the university in 1982, and served as director at the office of strategy and finance for five years from 1991, then vice president from 1998 to 2000.

He was a committee member of the Local Press Commission, which supports local newspapers.

Song graduated from Konkuk, and received a doctorate at Chuo University in Japan.

He will serve for four years from Sept. 1.

“I will make Konkuk University meet the needs of the current and future generations and educate students to become full of confidence and have positive minds,” Song said.

He will become the university’s 19th president and replace former president Kim Jin-kyu, who stepped down from the post in May after he lost the trust of the faculty, staff and students.

The university members criticized him for pushing professors to have high research capabilities and restructuring the school’s departments without seeking consensus from school members.

He was also accused of being involved in the misappropriation of the school budget and verbal sexual harassment against female university staff.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)