Gwangju Jeil High School ( ko, 광주제일고등학교) is a boys' high school in Gwangju,

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

. It has 840 students in grades 10, 11, and 12.Keh, Andrew
"School Spirit May Be Metaphysical for South Korean Baseball Players,"
''New York Times'' (Oct. 2, 2015). The school is considered to be one of the most prestigious high schools in Gwangu. Historically, the school is known as the birthplace of the Gwangju Student Independence Movement, a series of protests in 1929 against the 1910–1945

Japanese rule of Korea Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was ruled as a part of the Empire of Japan. Joseon Korea had come into the Japanese sphere of influence with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876; a complex coalition of the Meiji government, military, and business offici ...

. The school is also known for its

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

team, and has won the Cheongryonggi championship multiple times.Baek Byung-yeul
"Home to Major League Baseball players - Gwangju Jeil High School,"
''The Korea Times'' (August 13, 2015).Chang Hye-soo, Limb Jae-un
"Kia Tigers outfielder invigorated after last season’s slump, pay cut,"
''Korea JoongAng Daily'' (April 25, 2005). A number of its alumni have gone on to play professional baseball in Korea, Japan, and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. One of the school's most famous graduates is Sun Dong-yol, considered one of the greatest pitchers in the history of Korean professional baseball. Another graduate,

Lee Jong-beom Lee Jong-beom ( ko, 이종범, Hanja: 李鍾範; born August 15, 1970) is a former South Korean professional baseball player who played for the Kia Tigers (formerly the Haitai Tigers) in the KBO League and the Chunichi Dragons in Japan from 19 ...

, nicknamed "Son of the Wind," is widely considered one of the best five-tool players in Korean baseball history, and the best all-around KBO player of the 1990s.Yoo Jee-ho
"2nd-generation KBO star wants to see more sons of ex-players thrive,"
Yonhap News Agency (July 04, 2020). As of 2015, the school had produced more

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

players — four — than any other high school in Asia, including Osaka, Japan's famous PL Gakuen High School.

History

Gwangju Public High School was established in 1920. The Gwangju Ilgo school baseball club was established in 1923. In late October 1929, students from the school helped spark demonstrations against Japanese rule. The Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial, housed in a park on the school's campus, was built in 1954 to commemorate the student independence movement. The Gwangju Student Independence Movement Memorial History Museum was built in 1997; it was designated as the 26th Gwangju Metropolitan City Monument on April 30, 1999. Kim Yong-un, a mathematician, philosopher, and critic of civilizations, taught math at the school in the 1950s.

Notable alumni

Professional baseball players

Byung-hyun Kim Byung-hyun Kim (; or ; born January 19, 1979) is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. He had his most successful years with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox. Kim is remembered for his role in the 2001 World Ser ...

(1997) *

Hee-seop Choi Hee-seop Choi (; Hangul: 최희섭; Hanja: 崔熙燮; ; born March 16, 1979) is a South Korean former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Florida Marlins, and Los Angeles Dodgers ...

(1998) *

Jae Weong Seo Jae Weong Seo (; Hanja: 徐在應; ; born May 24, 1977), usually referred to as simply Jae Seo and pronounced "Jay So", is a retired South Korean professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Lo ...

(1996) * Jeong Ju-hu ( 2013) *

Jung-ho Kang Jung-ho Kang ( ko, 강정호; ; born April 5, 1987) is a South Korean professional baseball third baseman for the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League. He previously played in the KBO League for the Hyundai Unicorns and Nexen Heroes. He also playe ...

( 2005) *

( 1988) * Lee Kang-chul ( 1984) * Park Jae-hong ( 1991) * Seo Geon-chang ( 2006) * Sun Dong-yol (1981)

Other professions

* Kim Sang-gon (1968) — politician * Noh Hyeong-ouk ( 1980) — activist and government official *

Sung Won Sohn Sung Won Sohn (born 1944) is a Korean American economist, noted for his skill in economic forecasting. He is currently Professor of Economics at Loyola Marymount University and President of SS Economics, an economic consulting firm. Personal li ...

(1962) — economist

References

External links

Gwangju Jeil (Gwangju, South Korea) Baseball Players
Baseball-Reference.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Gwangju Jeil High School 1920 establishments in Korea Boys' schools in South Korea Educational institutions established in 1920 High schools in South Korea Schools in Gwangju