KU Insights

Min Young-in donated the money he had saved for over 30 years to his alma mater, Korea University, at a store near the departure hall of Gimpo Airport packed with Korean specialty products and crafts. After completing the Master of Science Program (MSP) at Korea University's Graduate School of Business, he has donated a total of 1.02 billion won to Korea University and its medical center over the past 20 years. Underpinning this journey of giving are his entrepreneurial spirit, his memories of his family sharing meals together in their hometown village, and his dream for Korea University.

A 30-Year Career in Distribution Forged at a “Small Department Store” at Gimpo Airport

Min Young-in's career began at Gimpo Airport. “Our store was located in the international departure lounge. With many foreign visitors and overseas Koreans coming through, we operated it like a small department store.” The store he ran was more than just an ordinary kiosk. Located along the path frequented by tourists and visitors from Japan, the Americas, and Europe, as well as overseas Koreans, it was where people bought items to take home. From tea sets and Boseong green tea leaves to Sokcho mackerel roe and Jeju dried abalone, he carefully curated products tailored to foreign customers' tastes and gathered them all in one place.

Running his business in the midst of Korea's transformation during the 60s and 70s, he enrolled in Korea University Business School's Master of Science Program (MSP) out of a desire to understand the wider world. “I'd come straight from work to attend classes and wouldn't get home until past 10 p.m. It was exhausting, but it was a time of great learning.” That's how his connection with Korea University began, and it was renewed as he sought a channel to share the fruits of his learning.

“We always practiced "ten people each giving a spoonful to make one full bowl.’
When we care for and give to one another, it creates value worth living together for.”

The Value of Sharing Learned from Those Who Gave Away Part of What They Had, Even in Difficult Times

His philosophy of giving, which he has sustained for over 20 years, did not come about suddenly one day. It is rooted in the memory of “a spoonful of rice” experienced during his childhood. In the neighborhood where he grew up, there were people who went around seeking food. The village elders would invite them into their homes and share their meals with them. “Back then in the countryside, getting a meal wasn't easy, so quite a few people would come asking for food when mealtime came around. That's how we always practiced ‘ten people each giving a spoonful to make one full bowl.’ It might seem like nothing special, but it feels like we're filling each other up. When we care for and give to one another, it creates value worth living together for.”

He describes giving as “a promise like a spiritual practice.” “Keeping a promise to yourself is similar to a priest observing precepts. If you don’t do it, your heart feels uneasy. If you do it, gratitude arises. When you turn your thoughts to gratitude, your heart becomes endlessly generous.” For him, giving is a way to revive the spirit of mutual support demonstrated by the villagers during his childhood.

The Dream of Connecting Korea University to the World

He has been practicing philanthropy for over 20 years. Currently, he continues his charity with the hope that the university's priority initiatives, including campus infrastructure projects such as the College of Medicine and Central Square, proceed without a hitch. His vision for giving is clear. "I hope Korea University becomes a university so highly regarded that people say, 'If I were to study in Korea, I would choose Korea University.' World-class universities receive substantial donations and use those funds to attract and support international students. Those students then serve as bridges connecting their alma mater and their home countries." He believes Korea University must move in the same direction as these global universities.

What he most wanted to convey to Korea University students was not flashy success stories or investment tips, but the lessons taught by Korea University's motto. “If you learned Liberty, Justice, Truth (Libertas, Justitia, Veritas) at Korea University, you must uphold those principles in society. Even if you struggle between ideals and reality, I hope you never lose your sense of fairness and responsibility.”

His journey, which began in a small shop at Gimpo Airport during lean times, is now leading to donations designed to grow Korea University into a global institution. His hope for freedom, justice, and truth, embodied in his generosity, will be realized by Korea University alumni across the globe.