In 1925, the status of Soongsil was demoted to that of a professional school due to the colonial government's unwillingness to allow a college in Korea.
In 1931, Soongsil set up 1 3-year program in the Department of Agriculture. In 1938, however, the school decided to close after a long struggle against the demand by the colonial government of Japan to visit and worship at Japanese shrines. Soongsil chose to shut down rather than compromise its Christian principles and forsake its pride
as a Korean institution.