New year’s 2018 kick-off meeting and greeting ceremony held at KU

KU held a New Year’s Kick-off Meeting and Greeting Ceremony for 2018 at 10:30 am on January 2 in the Inchon Memorial Hall.

The meeting was led by Kisung Lee, Vice President for Administration and Finance, and attended by many faculty and staff, including Jae Ho Kim, Chairman of the Korea University Foundation, and Jaeho Yeom, KU President.

Jae Ho Kim, Chairman of the Korea University Foundation, said, “2017 was full of social and political changes. Despite these changes, KU has steadily grown and has achieved great things, including being selected as one of the world’s top 100 universities for the second consecutive year. This is the result of your hard work.” He continued, “KU has always played an important role in leading change in every important moment of Korean history. Now, it is time for KU to grow into a university that contributes to the world and humanity beyond the nation. To this end, we must bring about such development and change through our efforts and dedication.”

Chairman Kim asked KU faculty and staff, “Please put more consideration and effort into what you do. KU professors, please try hard to provide top-quality education and produce creative research that can contribute to our society. KU staff, please work hard for the effective operation of our school.”

He also said, “During a difficult time, Inchon developed KU with the goal of recovering our nation and restoring national sovereignty. He put the school’s development before personal matters and many people joined him. By this virtue, KU was able to grow into a top-class university of Korea.” Chairman Kim hoped that all the members of KU could work together with great enthusiasm in order to achieve the further development of KU.

KU President Jaeho Yeom said, “It is expected that the domestic and international conditions of Korean private universities will not be good this year.” He promised administrative and financial support to overcome such difficulties.

President Yeom added, “Rather than heteronomy and universality, a university should strive for autonomy and excellence. To achieve this, the pride of KU members should be elevated and KU will do its best to provide administrative and financial support.” He added, “Businesses, government, and social institutions all exist for the present, while universities exist for the future. Thus, we should look ahead, worry ahead, and pave the way ahead.” President Yeom emphasized, “It is our current mission to overcome difficult situations and enhance the pride of KU.”

President Yeom also announced the following future plans: communication related to KU the Future Policy; construction of humanities and science/engineering buildings as well as a dormitory for foreign students; improvement in the welfare system, such as a raise in the salaries of faculty and staff; construction of new buildings on the Sejong Campus; construction/expansion of the KU Medical Centers; and increased industry-university cooperative research, government research funds, and research personnel.

He concluded, “Upon the beginning of this year’s tasks, as KU President, I would like to make a promise that I will do my best to help KU people be engaged in happy education and research.”