Korea University (KU, ) is a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 ...
,
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
, established in 1905. The university is included as one of the
SKY universities
SKY is an acronym used to refer to the three most prestigious universities in South Korea: Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. The term is widely used in South Korea, both in media and by the universities themse ...
, a popular acronym referring to Korea's three most prestigious universities.
The student body consists of over 20,000
undergraduate
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...
students and over 10,000 graduate students. The university has 81 departments in 19 colleges and divisions, as well as 18 graduate schools. It has over 1,500 full-time faculty members with over 95% of them holding Ph.D. or equivalent qualification in their field. The Korea University Alumni Association consists of more than 280,000 university graduates.
Korea University is a large
research institution
A research institute, research centre, research center or research organization, is an establishment founded for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research. Although the term often im ...
, notable in South Korean history for being the first educational institution to offer academic programs in Korea in various disciplines, such as
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
,
economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...
and
journalism
Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
. It is particularly well known for its
College of Law
A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction.
Law degrees Argentina
In Argentina, ...
. Korea University also has auxiliary educational facilities such as the Institute of Foreign Language Studies, the Institute for Continuing Education, the Institute of International Education and the Center for Teaching and Learning. There are 115 research institutes, including the
Battelle@KU Laboratory, the
Ilmin International Relations Institute and the
Center for Information Security Technologies.
History
Bosung College
Korea University was established on May 5, 1905, as Bosung College by
Lee Yong-Ik, Treasurer of the Royal Household. The first College President was Hae-Uoung Shin. As an academic institution of nationalistic origin, it was regarded as a symbol of national pride during the
colonial period (1910–1945).
Shortly after Bosung College was established, the "Korea–Japan Protocol" was signed, and Lee Yong-Ik went into
exile
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
to lead the resistance movement against Japan. His exile created financial hardship for the institution. The
financial crisis
A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and man ...
was overcome when Sohn Byong-Hee, a leader of
Chundokyo, a nationalist, religious and
political movement
A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some t ...
at the time, took over the management of the institution.
By 1929, the institution once again faced a serious financial crisis as a result of the worldwide
recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction when there is a general decline in economic activity. Recessions generally occur when there is a widespread drop in spending (an adverse demand shock). This may be triggered by various ...
. This was alleviated when
Kim Seong-su
Kim Seong-su (김성수, 金性洙; October 11, 1891 – February 18, 1955) was a Korean educator, independence activist, journalist, entrepreneur, politician and calligrapher, and the second vice president of South Korea from 1951–19 ...
became the president of the college in 1932. At that time, Kim was managing Choong-Ang High School and the ''
Dong-A Ilbo
The ''Dong-A Ilbo'' (, literally ''East Asia Daily'') is a newspaper of record in Korea since 1920 with a daily circulation of more than 1.2 million and opinion leaders as its main readers. ''The Dong-A Ilbo'' is the parent company of Dong-A ...
'', a daily newspaper.
Relocation
In 1934, the main building was completed on a 63,000-pyeong area of land located in
Anam-dong
Anam-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Seongbuk-gu in Seoul, South Korea.
Notable places
* Korea University
* Gaeunsa (개운사 開運寺)
* Botasa (보타사 普陀寺)
See also
*Administrative divisions of South Korea
South Korea is ...
. Construction of the library started in 1935 to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of Bosung College, and was completed two years later. In July of the following year, a large
athletic field
A pitch or a sports ground is an outdoor playing area for various sports. The term ''pitch'' is most commonly used in British English, while the comparable term in American and Canadian English is playing field or sports field.
For most sports t ...
, was added to the campus. In April 1944, the
Japanese colonial government
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent forma ...
forced Bosung College to change its name and placed it under the supervision of the Japanese authorities.
Modern era
Following independence in 1945, the status of Bosung College was elevated to that of a
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
comprising three colleges, Political Science and Law, Economics and Commerce, and Liberal Arts. Hyun Sang-Yun, the first president, initiated an expansion of the campus by purchasing forest and land. In June 1949, Korea University awarded its first
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
s and in September of the same year, the graduate school was established. Yu Chin-O, the fourth president, continued to expand Korea University with the establishment of the Division of
Science
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
within the college of
Liberal Arts
Liberal arts education (from Latin "free" and "art or principled practice") is the traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the ...
, as well as a fourth college, the college of
Agriculture
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...
.
In June 1961 the present Liberal Arts building (Seokwan) was completed. Various facilities were also completed such as the
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, the agriculture
laboratory
A laboratory (; ; colloquially lab) is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific or technological research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. Laboratory services are provided in a variety of settings: physicia ...
, the
greenhouse
A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse, or, if with sufficient heating, a hothouse) is a structure with walls and roof made chiefly of Transparent ceramics, transparent material, such as glass, in which plants requiring regulated climatic condit ...
, and other buildings for student services. In the same year, an experimental farm of about 1,680,000 pyeong was added to the facilities. In addition, the
Science
Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
and
Engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...
Departments were equipped with laboratories and instruments. In December 1963, the
Graduate School of Business Administration, the first of its kind in Korea, was established. In October 1965, Yu Chin-O retired after fifteen years of service as the fourth president of Korea University and was succeeded by Lee Chong-Woo as the fifth president. After 1966, Korea University continued to expand with a gradual increase in the number of departments within the College of Science and Engineering and in the College of Agriculture. The Graduate School of Education was also founded. More facilities, including the new annex buildings, the General Education Building (Kyoyangkwan), and the
Mass Communication
Mass communication is the process of imparting and exchanging information through mass media to large segments of the population. It is usually understood for relating to various forms of media, as its technologies are used for the dissemination o ...
Building (Hongbokwan), were added.
In October 1970, Kim Sang-Hyup, professor of
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
, was appointed as the sixth president, succeeding Lee Chong-Woo who retired in September of that year. In December 1971, a major reorganization of Korea University took place: all Woosuk University colleges, including Medicine, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Law and Economics, Junior College of Allied Health Sciences, as well as Woosuk
University Hospital
A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and with medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical school or university. The following is a l ...
, were completely integrated into Korea University. In June 1972, the Business Administration Building (Kyoyangkwan) was completed to accommodate the College of Commerce and the Graduate School of Business Administration. In December of the same year, the college of
Education
Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...
was established.
In April 1975, President Kim Sang-Hyup was succeeded by Cha Rak-Hoon who became the seventh president. In December 1976, the College of Commerce was renamed the College of Business Administration. The Graduate School of Food and Agriculture was established in January of the following year. In December 1977, the College of Science and Engineering were separated into the College of Science and the College of Engineering. In addition, the new Central Library, the largest of its kind in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
at that time, was opened in March 1978. In July 1983,
Medical School
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
and
hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically has an emerge ...
were expanded and reorganized into the Korea University
Medical Center, which then included four new hospitals: Haewha, Guro, Yeoju and Ansan. In September 1983, the Science Library opened as the center for science and technology research and was at that time the largest and most modern building on the campus.
In June 2001, Korea University concluded a joint academic program with the
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public university, public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks a ...
in Canada. The Korea University Lyceum was completed and
SK Telecom
SK Telecom Co., Ltd. ( or ) is a South Korean wireless telecommunications operator and former film distributor and is part of the SK Group, one of the country's largest chaebols. It leads the local market with 50.5 percent share as of 2008. S ...
made a significant contribution in the same month. In July, the Division of International Studies and the School of Journalism and Mass Communication were founded. In October, Korea University obtained ISO9001 authentication in all educational and administrative areas.
100th anniversary
In 2005, Korea University celebrated its Centennial Anniversary of Foundation Day, May 5.
In March the College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology and the College of Life and Environmental Sciences were integrated into the
College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology. At the same time, the
Junior College
A junior college (sometimes referred to colloquially as a juco, JuCo or JC) is a post-secondary educational institution offering vocational training designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations and workers in su ...
of Health Sciences was abolished and merged into the new highly developed College of Health Sciences.
Currently, Korea University is composed of sixteen colleges and divisions, as well as eighteen graduate schools and eleven auxiliary facilities, including
libraries
A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...
, a
museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance. Many public museums make these ...
, and a press office for public relations.
Academics
Colleges and schools
Korea University's 59 academic departments and programs are organized into 17 colleges and schools:
Departments and Programs
Interdisciplinary Programs
Admissions selectivity
Admissions decisions are based on the applicants' high school transcripts and scores on the South Korean
College Scholastic Ability Test
The College Scholastic Ability Test or CSAT ( ko, , ), also abbreviated Suneung ( ko, , ), is a standardized test which is recognized by South Korean universities. The Korea Institute of Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) administers the annual ...
. For the freshman class entering in 2016, the overall admission rate was 5.13%.
Rankings and reputation
In 2021, the university was ranked 69th in the world. In 2016–17, the university was ranked 16th in Asia by
QS World University Rankings
''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for the ...
. Also, in the 2014 QS World University Subject Rankings, the university's politics program, economics program, chemical engineering program and the communications program were all ranked within the top 50 in the world.
In 2003, Korea University Law School students accounted for more than 15% of the nearly 900 people who passed the annual Korean bar examination.
The business programs at Korea University obtained international certification by acquiring
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, also known as AACSB International, is an American professional organization. It was founded as the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business in 1916 to provide accreditation to ...
(AACSB) certifications in both undergraduate and graduate levels and
European Quality Improvement System
The EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) is an international school accreditation system. It specializes in higher education institutions of management and business administration, run by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD ...
(EQUIS) for the first time in South Korea, qualifying for two highly regarded certifications for business educational assessment. Accordingly, in 2007, the Ministry of Education, after assessing domestic MBA programs, named Korea University as having the MBA program in South Korea. In the 2015 Financial Times' EMBA Rankings, Korea University Business School's
Executive MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
(E-MBA) program was ranked 27th in the world.
From 2003 to 2006,
Euh Yoon-Dae
Euh Yoon-Dae (born 1945) is a South Korean professor, financier, and advisor for the South Korean government. He served as Chairman of KB Financial Group and of the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea.
Childhood and Education
Euh ...
, the current Chairman of
President's Council on National Branding, Steering Committee of Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), and the former (15th) President of Korea University, drastically changed the image of Korea University, a change symbolized by the adoption of red wine over the traditional rice wine. He doubled the publication requirements required for faculty promotion and raised the ratio of the classes taught in English to 35% of all courses taught. He also required that core liberal arts classes are taught by full-time faculty and required every student except those in the Colleges of Engineering, Law, and Medicine to do a double major. He also signed academic exchange agreements with 172 universities overseas, and dispatched 60% of administration staff to the world's top 100 universities for training. Korea University also expanded its international-level facilities. It built the Centennial Memorial Samsung Hall, Hwajung Gymnasium, Tiger Plaza, and Hana Square, and also expanded educational and cultural spaces.
International students
The overall number of
international students
International students, or foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their tertiary education in a country other than their own and move to that country for the purpose of studying.
In 2019, there were over 6 million internati ...
about 4,000.
[Global KU - Frontier Spirit](_blank)
. Korea.edu. Retrieved on 2010-10-19. Korea University offers English degree programs in the College of International Studies (CIS) and Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS). International students can also apply toward other degree programs through the Office of International Affairs. However, the language of instruction is usually Korean.
Research institutes
*
Battelle@KU Laboratory
*
Center for Information Security Technologies
*
IBS Center for Molecular Spectroscopy and Dynamics -
Cho Minhaeng
Cho Minhaeng is a South Korean scientist in researching physical chemistry, spectroscopy, and microscopy. He was director of the National Creative Research Initiative Center for Coherent Multidimensional Spectroscopy and is founding director of ...
,
Choi Wonshik
Choi Wonshik is an optical physicist researching deep-tissue imaging and imaging through scattering media. He is a full professor in the Department of Physics of Korea University where he serves as the associate director at the IBS Center for Mole ...
*
Ilmin International Relations Institute
* Institute of Biotechnology
*
Korean Language and Culture Center
*
Research Institute for Information and Communication Technology
* Research Institute of Korean Studies
Campus
Seoul campus is divided into four subdivisions; Science and Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Medicine and Life Sciences, and Jeongneung. It is located in the greater Seoul area that boasts a population of over 20 million. Within a five-minute walk from the campus are an array of restaurants, bars, shops, and even a famous Buddhist temple. It takes about 20 minutes from some buildings of main campus to some buildings of science or medical campus on foot.
*
Library System
A library consortium is any cooperative association of libraries that coordinates resources and/or activities on behalf of its members, whether they are school, public, academic, special libraries and/or information centers. Consortia exist on a v ...
*
University Museum
A university museum is a repository of collections run by a university, typically founded to aid teaching and research within the institution of higher learning. The Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford in England is an early example, o ...
- The first university museum in Korea, the museum contains over 100,000 pieces of data covering history, the study of antiquities, ethnology, and the arts.
*
Centennial Memorial Samsung Hall
The Centennial Memorial Samsung Hall was completed in commemoration of Korea University's centennial. It houses a digital library and a number of national treasure-level properties of the Korea University Museum. The building was completed on a si ...
- Completed in commemoration of KU's centennial, the building houses both a digital library and a number of national treasure-level cultural properties.
*
LG-POSCO Hall - A new building for the Business School completed on a site of 14,122 m
2 with funds of KRW 25 billion donated by companies and schoolfellows.
* Lyceum
* Central Square
* Hana Square
*
CJ International House - A dormitory for visiting scholars and foreign professors and exchange students.
* Tiger Dome - A multi-purpose sports complex of 18,182 m
2, the gym was completed in 2006. With three floors above the ground and another three below.
* Dongwon Hall
* Korean Studies Hall - Established to teach the Korean language and promote Korean culture.
* Chungsan-MK Culture Center - 6-story building opened in 2007 to encourage cultural exchanges between Korea and Japan and promote Japanese studies.
* Ice Rink - Containing an Olympic-sized skating rink and the finest in facilities, the Ice Rink also functions as a training base for national athletes.
* Media Hall - Building for students of the School of Media & Communication. Completed in August 2011 on a site of 11,663 m
2. Contains various media facilities and studios that enable students to create media outputs.
* International Center for Converging Technology - Built in August 2008 with a total floor area of 7,665 m
2. Scientific technology research activities are supported by various facilities and equipment.
* Green tract of land sports field - Established to play soccer or teach physical education.
Student activities
Clubs
* Social Science: Philosophy village, The Wagon Wheel, Saram Saneun Saesang, Study Group of Culture, Working People, KUCC, Economics Institute of Current Events, UNSA (UN Student's Association), Korean Modern History Research Association, Current Affairs & Economy Society, Korean Society Research Association, Korean Spirit Training, B&B
* Exhibition and Creative Art: Institute of Arts Criticism, Our Literature Research Institute, KU Literature Association, Institute of Korean Painting Dolbit (KU Movie Critique Club), Geurim Madang (KU Cartoon Club), Keul mal literature Institute (KU poet's society), Hoyounghoi Jinbo Creative Literature Club, Seowha PAPCON
* Social Studies: One, Two, Five (a campaign for the disabled), Red Cross Student's Association Rotarect (university federation public service club), Nadal Moeum (an agricultural club) Howoo Hwe (KU public service club), Eunwhawhe (a student association for night studies), Saebyok Kwangjang (a club for preserving the environment), KUSA
* Art: Korea University Choir (former KU Glee Club), KU Nongak (Korean instrumental music of peasants), KU Orchestra We love Tal (Korean Traditional Mask), KU Wind Ensemble Noraeol Theater, Korean Classical Music Classic Guitar Club, Crimson, Korea University A cappella Group LoGS, KUDT (Korea University Dance Team), Geurootogi (an Acoustic Guitar Club), TTP, Bulas (Sports Dance), TERRA (hip hop)
* Religion: Won-Buddhism Student's Association, Every Nation Mission (ENM), Jeung San Do, Student Christian Association, Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC), Korean Christian Students' Union, Christ's Ambassador Mission (CAM) University Mission, Buddhist Student's Association, Joy Mission, Catholic Student's Association, Student For Christ (SFC), IVF
* Language Studies: Nid d'amis (French Club), Dongsuchoi, KU Research Institute on Korean and Japanese Culture, S.I. S TIME, KU China Research Institute, E.C.S (English Conversation Researching Society), LECA (English Conversation Club), A.L.C
* Life Culture: Leisure and recreation Research Association, Youth Hostel (Travelling Club), Ho-Jin Hwe (theatre appreciation and critique club), Scout / Ho-Dong Hwe (a club made by Japanese Koreans), Paduk Sarang Meeting (a club for people who play Korean checkers)
* Sports: Fencing Club, Amateur Soccer team, Skin Scuba Diving, Korea University Amateur Baseball Club, KU Archery Club, Swimming Tiger's Club, Badminton / Ping-pong Club, Soobakdo
* Literary Art: Norae Madang, Talpae Hanaldarae, KU Folk Music Band, Yeol Gu Rim, ICCUS, TERRA, Sun Hyang Jae, Darkroom
* Science and Technology: KULS, KUERA, Amateur Astronomer's Club (KUAAA), Amateur Radio Association (HAM), Intelligent Robot Club (KAsimov)
* Others: Honong-hoe, The Morning Dew, Breaking The Cell, Buddhist Student Society, Sunlight Village, Youth & Future, Korea University Extreme Sports Club (KESC)
Traditions
* The Granite Tower Festival (Seoktap Daedongje) is an annual week of festivities usually held in May. Many celebrities are invited to perform throughout the week (around four celebrity performers every night) in the Minju-Gwangjang (민주광장) in front of Woodang Hall. The final day of celebration is called ''Ipselenti''.
* April 18 Marathon (418 민주대장정) is a marathon honoring the students who were assaulted in the "
April 18th Korea University student assault incident." 3,000 Korea University students gathered on April 18, 1960, in a peaceful demonstration against the rigged presidential election of
Syngman Rhee
Syngman Rhee (, ; 26 March 1875 – 19 July 1965) was a South Korean politician who served as the first president of South Korea from 1948 to 1960.
Rhee was also the first and last president of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Ko ...
on March 15, demanding rightful democracy. The government mobilized organized gangster groups to forcefully shut down this demonstration, injuring and incarcerating many. Korea University students take great pride in being one of the most active participants in Korean modern history, and the April 18 Marathon is one of the ways in which they honor their seniors who strived for a better future.
* Ipselenti- Cry of "Ji Ya" (입실렌티- 지.야의 함성) is a cheering festival that is held by the Korea University Cheerleaders on the last and biggest night of Seoktap Daedongje (Granite Tower University Festival). Students gather in the Nokji Field (녹지운동장) and sing Korea University's cheering songs, dance along and enjoy. Some of the country's best-known singers are also invited to perform there; Blackpink, Twice, Psy, Be-Why, AKMU, Red Velvet, 2NE1 being some of them. "Ipselenti" is part of Korea University's slogan that is used since Bosung College, and "Ji" and "Ya" means jiseong and yaseong (wisdom and wildness).
*
Yonsei-Korea Friendship Games (see
Athletics
Athletics may refer to:
Sports
* Sport of athletics, a collection of sporting events that involve competitive running, jumping, throwing, and walking
** Track and field, a sub-category of the above sport
* Athletics (physical culture), competiti ...
)
Athletics
Korea University is a member of the Korea University Sports Federation (KUSF) and its men's football/soccer, men's basketball, baseball and men's ice hockey teams participate in the KUSF
U-League The U-League, officially KUSF College Sports U-League (Korean: KUSF 대학스포츠 U-리그), is operated by the Korea University Sports Federation (KUSF), the organization which oversees college sports in South Korea. The KUSF U-League operates in ...
. It has a
historic athletic rivalry with the nearby
Yonsei University
Yonsei University (; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. As a member of the "SKY" universities, Yonsei University is deemed one of the three most prestigious institutions in the country. It is particularly respected in the ...
which dates back to the Japanese occupation era. Outside KUSF-sanctioned competitions, both institutions also compete in an annual "friendship games" across two days each fall in five team sports – football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey and rugby – a tradition dating back to the 1940s.
Korea University's mascot and symbol is the tiger and its student-athletes are informally known as "Tigers".
Presidents
The following is a list of presidents of Korea University.
Medical center
With the opening as Kyoung-sung Women's Medical College in 1938,
the university's college of medicine was later renamed and annexed as Seoul Women's Medical College in 1948. Then, in 1967, it was renamed as Woosuk College of Medicine. Finally, the medical school merged with Korea University in 1971, and was officially renamed as
Korea University College of Medicine
Korea University College of Medicine is the medical school of Korea University. It is located in Seoul, South Korea. As one of the oldest medical schools in South Korea, it has been historically regarded as one of the country's top medical school ...
. In 1983, the
Korea University Medical Center (KUMC) was formed and its first director was inaugurated.
Since then, KUMC has been performing the duties as a
university hospital
A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and with medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical school or university. The following is a l ...
, such as education, research, patient care, and voluntary work in world-disaster areas as well as disadvantaged areas in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...
. Korea University Medical Center is a comprehensive medical institution that includes three hospitals (Anam, Guro, and Ansan), the College of Medicine, three graduate schools, ten laboratories, and several specialized centers. It also has acquired
JCI certification, the second medical center in South Korea to do so.
University scholarships
Korea University offers
scholarship
A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need.
Scholarsh ...
s,
fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
ships and awards under the auspices of the Korea University Foundation, established in 1905. Close to 245 institutional scholarships, totaling more than 11.5 billion won, are available to Korea University students. Almost 90 percent of the admitted international students are awarded Korea University Scholarships. Scholarships are established as either endowed or restricted, in accordance with the wishes of the donor. Scholarships are awarded to students based on criteria such as matriculation status, school and department affiliation, financial need, academic achievement,
grade point average
Grading in education is the process of applying standardized measurements for varying levels of achievements in a course. Grades can be assigned as letters (usually A through F), as a range (for example, 1 to 6), as a percentage, or as a numbe ...
and expected
graduation
Graduation is the awarding of a diploma to a student by an educational institution. It may also refer to the ceremony that is associated with it. The date of the graduation ceremony is often called graduation day. The graduation ceremony is a ...
date.
Rivalry with Yonsei University
The rivalry between Korea University and
Yonsei University
Yonsei University (; ) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. As a member of the "SKY" universities, Yonsei University is deemed one of the three most prestigious institutions in the country. It is particularly respected in the ...
, the country's top two private schools, regularly gains national attention. There is an annual fall sports festival between the two universities. Since 1956, the annual Korea–Yonsei University Friendship Games comprises five events every year:
Football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
,
Rugby
Rugby may refer to:
Sport
* Rugby football in many forms:
** Rugby league: 13 players per side
*** Masters Rugby League
*** Mod league
*** Rugby league nines
*** Rugby league sevens
*** Touch (sport)
*** Wheelchair rugby league
** Rugby union: 1 ...
,
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 tea ...
,
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
, and
Ice Hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
.
The history of the Yonsei–Korea rivalry: Yeonhee College, the forerunner of Yonsei University, and Boseong College, the forerunner of Korea University participated in the fifth Jeonbok . It was the confrontation between the soccer team of Boseong professional school and the soccer team of Yeonhee professional school in the semi-finals of the eighth Jeonbuk Soccer Contest held in Kyungsung Stadium in 1927.
In 2012, out of the five sports, Korea University won three (baseball, basketball, soccer) and lost two (ice hockey, rugby). In 2014, out of the five sports, Korea University won all of them, the first time ever in history.
Notable people and alumni
![Southkorean president lee](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Southkorean_president_lee.JPG)
In 2009, Korea University claimed approximately 280,000 living alumni. Among the notable alumni of Korea University are prominent lawyers, physicians, engineers, researchers, Olympic athletes, and others who have gained both national and world fame in their respective fields. Korea University has produced many famous politicians, including the tenth
President of the Republic of Korea
The president of the Republic of Korea (), also known as the president of South Korea (often abbreviated to POTROK or POSK; ), is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Korea. The president leads the State Council, and is ...
,
Lee Myung Bak
Lee Myung-bak (; ; ; born 19 December 1941) is a South Korean businessman and politician who served as the 10th president of South Korea from 2008 to 2013. Before his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction, and the ma ...
,
20th Speaker of the Assembly ,
Chung Sye-kyun
Chung Sye-kyun () is a South Korean politician who has served as Speaker of the National Assembly from 2016 to 2018 and Prime Minister of South Korea from 2020 to 2021.
He was previously leader of the main opposition Democratic Party between 2 ...
, and the 34th
Mayor of Seoul
The Mayor of Seoul () is the chief executive of Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul being the capital and largest city of South Korea.
The position is historically one of the most powerful in the country, charged with managing an annual budget ...
,
Oh Se-hoon
Oh Se-hoon (Korean: 오세훈, Hanja: 吳世勳; born January 4, 1961) is a South Korean politician who is currently the serving Mayor of Seoul since 8 April 2021. He also previously served as a member of the National Assembly of South Korea ...
. Also, a recent survey of South Korea's Fortune 500 companies revealed that Korea University has produced the greatest number of CEOs of these Fortune 500 companies.
Disputes
On November 14, 2019, during
2019–20 Hong Kong protests, a number of local students at
Hanyang University
Hanyang University (Korean: 한양대학교) is a private research university in South Korea. The main campus is located in Seoul and its satellite campus, the Education Research Industry Cluster (ERICA campus), is in Ansan. ''Hanyang'' (한양, ...
and Korea University were attacked and beaten up by international students from China. Posters prepared by the Korean students were also vandalized. The dispute spread to the internet, with some Korean students demanding the implicated international students to return to China.
See also
*
*
Education in South Korea
Education in South Korea is provided by both public schools and private schools. Both types of schools receive funding from the government, although the amount that the private schools receive is less than the amount of the state schools.
Sout ...
*
KU-Yonsei rivalry
*
List of universities in Seoul
*
List of colleges and universities in South Korea
This is a list of institutions of higher education in South Korea.
Quick index
__NOTOC__
A
*Agricultural Cooperative College – Goyang, Gyeonggi
*Ajou Motor College – Boryeong, South Chungcheong
* Ajou University – Suwon, Gyeonggi
*Andong I ...
*
List of Korea University people
*
SKY Universities
SKY is an acronym used to refer to the three most prestigious universities in South Korea: Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. The term is widely used in South Korea, both in media and by the universities themse ...
*
S3 Asia MBA
S³ Asia MBA (also written as S3 Asia MBA or simply Asia MBA) is a selective dual degree, tri-city, tri-university global MBA program. Students enrolled in this program study one semester each at three business schools - School of Management of Fu ...
- Joint MBA program by
Fudan University
Fudan University () is a national public research university in Shanghai, China. Fudan is a member of the C9 League, Project 985, Project 211, and the Double First Class University identified by the Ministry of Education of China. It is als ...
, Korea University and
NUS Business School
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
*
Universitas 21
Universitas 21 (U21) is an international network of research-intensive universities. Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 1997 with 11 members, it has grown to include twenty-eight member universities in nineteen countries and territories.
The uni ...
References
External links
Korea University
Korea University
Korea University LibraryKorea University Business SchoolOfficial Site of KU Global NetworkKU Alumni AssociationAssociation of Pacific Rim UniversitiesMedical CenterPortalCDLThe scholarships blog
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Universities and colleges in Seoul
Educational institutions established in 1905
1905 establishments in Korea
Private universities and colleges in South Korea
Seongbuk District