KU President lectures on “The future of KU and pioneering intelligence.”
President Yeom asks students to take pride in Korea University and to seek challenge in their lives

On Wednesday, October 28 at 5 p.m., Professor Jaeho Yeom, President of Korea University, delivered a special lecture to KU students in the Centennial Memorial International Teleconference Room. President Yeom’s lecture, entitled, “The Future of KU and Pioneering Intelligence,” marked the beginning of the “Pioneering Intelligence” lecture series organized by the Institute for General Education. His talk, which lasting for an hour, focused on how to become a future-oriented intellectual and how the university is rededicating itself to its original mission in finding more effective ways to support KU students.

President Yeom began his talk by saying, “after becoming the President of KU, one thing that I could not do was to teach students, which was, quite frankly very frustrating. But, given this opportunity to stand in front of you made me feel excited.” He added, “We are currently working hard to reform university policies such as the ‘University Admissions Policy’ and the ‘Three-No Policy’. You might be wondering why Korea University is trying to do all of these things. That is why I am here today to explain the rationales behind these actions. Although, we are living to prepare for the future, we are too obsessed with what we face right in front of us which makes us short-sighted, not being able to see the big picture of our future. Don’t you think so?”

He continued to say that students have to imagine the world that lies ahead of us and envision our future selves 40 years from now. The world that existed 40 years ago is totally different from the world that we are living in today. Public water supply services and water clock, for instance, were things that were part of human lives but which we no longer need nowadays. President Yeom indicated that since the past and the present are so different from each other, so to will the future be different from the present.

“Korea University is a special institution that possesses a strong competitive force that makes it different from other universities. Its latent energy comes from the spirit and history passed down from our KU seniors. Therefore, whatever you do in and with KU has to be something special and different from what others do.” President Yeom emphasized the unique competitiveness of KU by stating, “The only way that we were able to defeat Japan and build our own independent nation was by fostering intellectuals. The first modern educational institution that was established to achieve this objective was Bosung College.” He continued to explain the history of KU after its establishment by saying, “KU was founded by Koreans who contributed to our nation and this very fact enables us to take pride in ourselves.” He added, “Everyone here, as students of KU, has the responsibility to continue and maintain our legacy and pride. In 1934, the university facility took the form of a small thatched-roof house. With the support of 2,000 people across the nation, we were able to build the graduate school building in an empty wild field in Anam-dong which took no less than two years. Korea University is the only university that has an alumni who offered help in those difficult times without hesitation.” Moreover, he said, “KU has prospered over the past 110 years and it is now time for us to develop the future of KU.”

He acknowledged the fact that Korean society is currently facing many issues. He emphasized that taking the lead in addressing these issues and inducing new waves in the 21st century should be the goal of universities. In other words, building up a system that can influence social mechanisms should be something that universities and their intellectuals should strive toward.

In his lecture, President Yeom said, “I believe that the beginning of the 21st century is a transitional period in the history of human civilization. Many things have changed. Take the example of manufacturing companies. We live in an era where simple labor is no longer required.

Therefore, we should no longer focus on the present by trying to solve problems based on paradigms that existed in the past. Instead of facing changes in a passive way, we should lead the changes proactively.” He said, “we are facing a period where multifunctioning has become imperative. Therefore, we need intellectuals who are able to approach and unravel problems in creative ways and with great insight and enthusiasm.”

He asked students to cultivate this enthusiasm, saying, “don’t settle for the present, but live your lives in an active manner.” By emphasizing the theme of the lecture, ‘The Future of KU and Pioneering Intelligence,’ he further stated that there is more than just one answer to a problem. He asked students not to follow what others do, but to show initiative and develop their own competitiveness in preparing for the future, not just the present. The one-hour lecture ended with a rousing ovation from the students.

He said, “Our society is already accommodating those intellectuals with vision. In that sense, we need to be people of great capacity. We ourselves should think as mature people and behave in ways in which we can show love and respect for ourselves. Having such thoughts in our minds, Korea University will have a brighter future and it will be empowered by you. I would appreciate it if you could continue to take as much pride in being part of the KU community as your seniors have. The University will continue to give you the support that you need. Under the slogan ‘KU the Future’, meaning that the future lies in the hands of KU, the University wishes to change society with you by helping you realize your future dreams.”