Pusan National University (PNU)’s Dormitory, Jillie Hall, has decided to increase the number of single rooms due to ongoing under-occupancy.

PNU’s Dormitory announced plans to convert some of the double rooms in Jillie Hall’s A and B wings to single rooms for those who wish to stay alone in the doubles they are already in and then recruit new students for the remaining single rooms on the 13th. Previously, on September 6th, the Dormitory attempted to recruit 120 students, but only 25 applied and were all accepted. An official explained, “We had planned to increase the proportion of single rooms from this semester but couldn’t due to internal circumstances. We ended up converting rooms to singles and recruiting additional residents mid-semester because there were more vacancies than expected due to military service leaves.”

The decision stems from the chronic vacancy problem in Jillie Hall. Jillie Hall has been unable to fill its capacity since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the decrease in admission quotas. According to the Dormitory’s admission competition rates, since the first semester of 2022, all applicants for Jillie Hall’s double rooms, both undergraduate and graduate, have been accepted. Built in September 2001 as a male-only dormitory, Jillie Hall faces complaints from residents due to outdated facilities and lack of amenities (reported by “Channel PNU” on August 3rd, 2022). Its distance from campus buildings and high elevation are also cited as issues. PNU Student A (Dept. of Philosophy, 21) said, “I’ve seen many friends who want to find off-campus housing despite the higher cost because the dormitory food isn't good and Jillie Hall is too far from class buildings.”

The Dormitory stated that it plans to remain flexible. An official said,, “There may be semesters without vacancies, so we’ll decide on additional single room conversions through internal meetings based on the circumstances.” Meanwhile, other dormitories on the Busan Campus, such as Woongbee Hall, Hyowonjae, and Jayoo Hall, unlike Jillie Hall, will maintain their vacancies and recruit additional residents at the end of this month.

Reported Jeon Ha-Eun

Translated by Seo Yoo-Jung