Seoul National University (SNU; ) is a
national
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, c ...
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
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 ...
located 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 ...
. Founded in 1946, Seoul National University is largely considered the most prestigious university in South Korea; it is one of the three "
SKY
The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth. It includes the atmosphere and outer space. It may also be considered a place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space.
In the field of astronomy, ...
" universities, denoting the top three institutions in the country. The university has three campuses: the main campus in
Gwanak District
Gwanak District (Gwanak-gu) is an administrative subdivision (''gu'') of Seoul, South Korea. It lies on the southern skirt of Seoul, bordering Anyang of Gyeonggi Province. The southern border of Gwanak-gu, bordering Anyang, consists of the cr ...
and two additional campuses in
Daehangno
Daehangno (Hangul:대학로 Hanja:, lit. "college street") is a neighborhood in Seoul north of the Han River within Jongno-gu and Seodaemun-gu.
Formerly known as Sunggyobang (Hangul:숭교방 Hanja:), meaning "high respect for teaching", its c ...
and
Pyeongchang County
Pyeongchang (; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in the province of Gangwon Province, South Korea, Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Budd ...
. The university comprises sixteen colleges, one graduate school and nine professional schools. The student body consists of nearly 17,000 undergraduate and 11,000 graduate students. According to data compiled by
KEDI, the university spends more on its students per capita than any other universities in the country that enroll at least 10,000 students.
Seoul National University holds a memorandum of understanding with over 700 academic institutions in 40 countries, the
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...
and a general academic exchange program with the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
. Moreover, the university is part of
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...
's McDonnell International Scholars Academy. The Graduate School of Business offers dual master's degrees with
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...
,
ESSEC Business School
The École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (more commonly ESSEC Business School or ESSEC) is a major French business and management school, with non-profit association status (French association law of 1901) founded in 190 ...
,
Hitotsubashi University
is a national university located in Tokyo, Japan. It has campuses in Kunitachi, Kodaira, and Chiyoda. One of the top 9 Designated National University in Japan, Hitotsubashi is a relatively small institution specialized solely in social sciences ...
and
Yale School of Management
The Yale School of Management (also known as Yale SOM) is the graduate business school of Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. The school awards the Master of Business Administration (MBA), MBA for Executives ...
and MBA-, MS- and PhD-candidate exchange programs with universities in ten countries on four continents. Furthermore, the Graduate School of International Studies offers dual master's degree with the
Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo
The Graduate School of Public Policy (GraSPP) at the University of Tokyo was founded in 2004 and is one of the premier public policy schools in Asia. It is located on the University's Hongo campus in Bunkyo-ku, and consists of approximately 2 ...
,
ESSEC Business School
The École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (more commonly ESSEC Business School or ESSEC) is a major French business and management school, with non-profit association status (French association law of 1901) founded in 190 ...
,
KU Leuven
KU Leuven (or Katholieke Universiteit Leuven) is a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, Belgium. It conducts teaching, research, and services in computer science, engineering, natural sciences, theology, humanities, medicine, ...
's Faculty of Social Science, the Faculty of Humanities at the
University of Tübingen
The University of Tübingen, officially the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (german: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; la, Universitas Eberhardina Carolina), is a public research university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Wü ...
and
Peking University
Peking University (PKU; ) is a public research university in Beijing, China. The university is funded by the Ministry of Education.
Peking University was established as the Imperial University of Peking in 1898 when it received its royal charter ...
's School of International Studies, as well as exchange programs at distinguished universities in 17 countries for MA- and PhD-candidates. Following a government mandate to globalize Korean universities, the university's international faculty head count peaked at 242 or 4% of the total in 2010, but subsequently declined.
Seoul National University, and specifically its undergraduate liberal arts college, finds its roots in the remaining properties from the abolished
Keijō Imperial University
, colloquially referred to as , was an Imperial University of Japan that existed between 1924 and 1946. This university was established in 1924 in Gyeongseong, known as Keijō during the period of Japanese occupation of Korea, now modern-day S ...
, one of the
Imperial Universities
The were founded by the Empire of Japan between 1886 and 1939, seven in Mainland Japan (now Japan), one in Korea under Japanese rule (now the Republic of Korea) and one in Taiwan under Japanese rule (now Taiwan). They were run by the imperial gove ...
founded by the Japanese Empire. In the 1940s, with US Military Ordinance No.102 of
United States Army Military Government in Korea
The United States Army Military Government in Korea (USAMGIK) was the official ruling body of the Southern half of the Korean Peninsula from 8 September 1945 to 15 August 1948.
The country during this period was plagued with political and eco ...
, Keijo Imperial University was abolished. Later, the government of the
Republic of 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 east ...
merged the remaining properties with nine colleges and professional schools, and the consolidated institution was renamed Seoul National University in accordance with the Act of the National University Seoul enacted by the National Assembly.
History
Pre-establishment
Seoul National University originates from various educational institutions established by
King Gojong of the
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
. Several of them were integrated into various colleges when Seoul National University was founded later.
To modernize the country, Gojong initiated the establishment of modern higher education institutions. By means of the issue of a royal order, the law academy ''
Beopkwan Yangseongso'' has been founded on March 25, 1895. It produced 209 graduates including the later envoy
Yi Tjoune
Yi Tjoune (December 18, 1859 – July 14, 1907), also known as Yi Jun (이준), was a Korean prosecutor and diplomat and the father of the North Korean politician Lee Yong.
Early life and education
Yi Tjoune was born in Bukcheong in the pro ...
. ''Hanseong Sabeomhakgyo'' (established in 1895), a training school for teachers and ''Euihakkyo'' (1899), a medical school, are also considered the origins of respective colleges.
After the proclamation of the
Korean Empire
The Korean Empire () was a Korean monarchical state proclaimed in October 1897 by Emperor Gojong of the Joseon dynasty. The empire stood until Japan's annexation of Korea in August 1910.
During the Korean Empire, Emperor Gojong oversaw the Gwa ...
in 1897, Gojong, the then emperor, was motivated to create more modern education institutions. In 1899, a medical school was established. This school changed its name several times to ''Daehan Euiwon Gyoyukbu'' and ''Gyeongseong Euihak Jeonmunhakgyo'' (Gyeongseong Medical College) and finally became College of Medicine of Seoul National University. In 1901, a department for
nursing
Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health ...
was established, which was the forerunner of the later College of Nursing.
During the
Japanese rule,
Keijō Imperial University
, colloquially referred to as , was an Imperial University of Japan that existed between 1924 and 1946. This university was established in 1924 in Gyeongseong, known as Keijō during the period of Japanese occupation of Korea, now modern-day S ...
was established as one of Japan's nine
imperial universities
The were founded by the Empire of Japan between 1886 and 1939, seven in Mainland Japan (now Japan), one in Korea under Japanese rule (now the Republic of Korea) and one in Taiwan under Japanese rule (now Taiwan). They were run by the imperial gove ...
. After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
of Korea, the name of the university was changed from ''Keijō Teikoku Daigaku'' (京城帝国大学) to ''Gyeongseong Daehak'' (경성대학, 京城大學, Gyeongseong University). The
Hanja
Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom.
(, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...
that were used in the name were pronounced in the Korean reading and the attribute "Imperial" was removed. The renaming to "National" was based on the academic nationalism supported by the US military regime in Korea at the time.
Establishment
Seoul National University was founded on August 27, 1946, by merging ten institutions of higher education around the Seoul area. The schools which have been merged were:
* Gyeongseong (Seoul) University (''Gyeongseong (Seoul) Daehak'', 경성(서울)대학)
* Gyeongseong College of Education (''Gyeongseong Sabeomhakgyo'', 경성사범학교)
* Gyeongseong Women's College of Education (''Gyeongseong Yeoja Sabeomhakgyo'', 경성여자사범학교)
* Gyeongseong Law College (''Gyeongseong Beophak Jeonmunhakgyo'', 경성법학전문학교)
* Gyeongseong Industrial College (''Gyeongseong Gongeop Jeonmunhakgyo'', 경성공업전문학교)
* Gyeongseong Mining College (''Gyeongseong Gwangsan Jeonmunhakgyo'', 경성광산전문학교)
* Gyeongseong Medical College (''Gyeongseong Euihak Jeonmunhakgyo'', 경성의학전문학교)
* Suwon Agriculture College (''Suwon Nongnim Jeonmunhakgyo'', 수원농림전문학교)
* Gyeongseong College of Economics (''Gyeongseong Gyeongje Jeonmunhakgyo'', 경성경제전문학교)
* Gyeongseong Dentistry College (''Gyeongseong Chigwa Euihak Jeonmunhakgyo'', 경성치과의학전문학교)
The first president was
Harry Bidwell Ansted. For over a year and a half, there was a protest movement by students and professors against the law of the U.S. military government in Korea merging colleges. Finally, 320 professors were fired and more than 4,950 students left the school. The university's second president was Lee Choon-ho (), who served beginning in October 1947.
The College of Law was founded by merging the law department of
Kyŏngsŏng University (Keijō Imperial University) with Kyŏngsŏng Law College. The university absorbed Seoul College of Pharmacy in September 1950, as the College of
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links heal ...
. This had previously been a private institution.
During the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, the university was occupied by
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
and
Seoul National University Hospital massacre occurred, then temporarily merged with other universities in South Korea, located in
Busan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
.
Relocation
Originally, the main campus (which embraced the College of Humanities and Sciences and College of Law) was in Dongsung-dong,
Jongno District
Bosingak bell pavilion
Jongno District () is a district () in central Seoul, South Korea. It takes its name from a major local street, Jongno, which means "Bell Road".
Characteristics
Jongno District has been the center of the city for 600 yea ...
. After the construction of a new main campus in
Gwanak District
Gwanak District (Gwanak-gu) is an administrative subdivision (''gu'') of Seoul, South Korea. It lies on the southern skirt of Seoul, bordering Anyang of Gyeonggi Province. The southern border of Gwanak-gu, bordering Anyang, consists of the cr ...
in February 1975, most colleges of the university relocated to the new Gwanak Campus between 1975 and 1979 by the request of president
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee (, ; 14 November 1917 – 26 October 1979) was a South Korean politician and army general who served as the dictator of South Korea from 1961 until his assassination in 1979; ruling as an unelected military strongman from 1961 ...
who disliked student protests at the site where the
Gwanak golf club (founded in the early 1960s and relocated in
Hwaseong, Gyeonggi
Hwaseong () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It has the largest area of farmland of any city or county in Gyeonggi Province. Seoul Subway Line 1 passes through Hwaseong, stopping at Byeongjeom Station. Suin Bundang Line also passes t ...
) was formerly located. Part of the former main campus in Jongno-gu is still used by the College of Medicine, the College of Dentistry and the College of Nursing and is now called Yeongeon Campus.
In 2012, lawmakers reported that the ruling
Saenuri Party
The Liberty Korea Party () was a conservative political party in South Korea that was described variously as right-wing, right-wing populist, or far-right. Until February 2017, it was known as the Saenuri Party (), and before that as the Han ...
, prior to the
presidential election in December, seriously proposed a plan to relocate the university to the newly established special autonomous
Sejong City
Sejong (; ), officially the Sejong Special Self-Governing City (), is a special self-governing city and ''de facto'' administrative capital of South Korea.
Sejong was founded in 2007 as the new planned capital of South Korea from many parts of ...
. The move came as part of an overall effort to decentralize the capital's governmental apparatus. Originally the national government had approached the university in 2009 to host the building of a satellite campus. It was reported the following year that the university had considered withdrawing from the Sejong plan.
Academics
Admissions
Admissions to Seoul National University is extremely competitive. From 1981 to 1987, when an applicant could apply only to one university at a time, more than 80% of the top 0.5% scorers in the annual government-administered scholastic achievement test applied to SNU and many of them were unsuccessful.
Academic structure
Sixteen colleges of the university offer 83 undergraduate degree programs. For master and doctoral programs there is one graduate school with 99 programs from five fields of studies. The interdisciplinary programs are the ones invented and operated by more than two departments. In addition to that, there are twelve professional graduate schools.
Colleges
* College of Humanities
* College of Social Sciences
* College of Business Administration
* College of Education
* College of Fine Arts
* College of Liberal Studies
* College of Human Ecology
* College of Music
* College of Engineering
* College of Natural Sciences
* College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
* College of Medicine
* College of Nursing
* College of Pharmacy
* College of Veterinary Medicine
Professional Graduate Schools
* Graduate School of Data Science
* Graduate School of Public Health
* Graduate School of Public Administration
* Graduate School of Environmental Studies
* Graduate School of International Studies
* Graduate School of Business
* Graduate School of Convergence Science Technology
* Graduate School of International Agriculture Technology
* Graduate School of Engineering Practice
*
School 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, ...
* School of Dentistry
* School of Medicine
Campus
Seoul National University occupies two Seoul-based, one Pyeongchang-based campuses: the Gwanak Campus is situated in 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu; and the Yongon Campus is north of the Han River in
Daehangno
Daehangno (Hangul:대학로 Hanja:, lit. "college street") is a neighborhood in Seoul north of the Han River within Jongno-gu and Seodaemun-gu.
Formerly known as Sunggyobang (Hangul:숭교방 Hanja:), meaning "high respect for teaching", its c ...
,
Jongno District
Bosingak bell pavilion
Jongno District () is a district () in central Seoul, South Korea. It takes its name from a major local street, Jongno, which means "Bell Road".
Characteristics
Jongno District has been the center of the city for 600 yea ...
; and the new Pyeongchang campus in
Pyeongchang County
Pyeongchang (; in full, ''Pyeongchang-gun'' ; ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, county in the province of Gangwon Province, South Korea, Gangwon-do, South Korea, located in the Taebaek Mountains region. It is home to several Budd ...
,
Gangwon Province.
Location
Gwanak Campus, the main campus, is located in the southern part of Seoul. It is served by
its own subway station on
Line 2. Yeongeon Campus, the medical campus, is on Daehangno (University Street), northeast Seoul. The defunct Suwon Campus, the agricultural campus, also known as the Sangnok Campus (Evergreen Campus), used to be located in
Suwon
Suwon (, ) is the capital and largest city of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea's most populous province which surrounds Seoul, the national capital. Suwon lies about south of Seoul. It is traditionally known as "The City of Filial Piety". With a populati ...
, about 40 km south of Seoul. The agricultural campus moved to Gwanak in Autumn 2004, but some research facilities still remain in Suwon.
Future Campus plans
In February 2010 Seoul National initiated a memorandum with the city of
Siheung
Siheung ( ) is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The city has a population of 511,807 people, where 508,646 are residents out of 218,846 households as of August 2021. Siheung acquired its curren ...
to establish a global campus. Signed with the city's mayor and governor of
Gyeonggi Province
Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...
for administrative assistance, the university acquired 826 thousand square meters (204 acres) of property in the west-coast economic zone, near the
Songdo International Business District
Songdo International Business District (Songdo IBD) is a smart city or "ubiquitous city" & " Private town " built from scratch on of reclaimed land along Incheon's waterfront, southwest of Seoul, South Korea and connected to Incheon Internat ...
,
Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home t ...
harbor,
international airport
An international airport is an airport with customs and border control facilities enabling passengers to travel between countries around the world. International airports are usually larger than domestic airports and they must feature longer ...
,
seaport
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
.
The land acquisition will increase the university's size by 58% over its current 1.4 million square meters (350 acres) to 2.2 million square meters (550 acres) and headcount by an expected 10,000 people or 33% of its current figure.
Along with lecture halls and additional liberal arts and graduate courses, the initiative will add a medical complex including a research hospital and training centre, research centre for dentistry and clinical pharmacology, dormitories, apartments, an international middle and high school, and other facilities. Planning to open the international campus in 2014, the university intends to share the initiative with other regional national institutions.
Facilities
Library
Seoul National University Library is located behind the university administrative building in the 62nd block of the Gwanak Campus. The chief librarian, Dr. Kim Jong-seo, professor of religious studies in the College of Humanities, took office in 2009. Following the completion of Kwanjeong Library in February 2015, the SNU Library reached a size of 57,747 square meters. As of 2022, the library is home to 5.2 million volumes of books as well as over 260,000 academic journals and e-journals, and over 230,000 non-book materials.
The Central Library has constructed a digital library, which in addition to the regular library collection provides access to university publications, ancient texts, and theses. Included here are images of pamphlets, lecture slides, and insects. The digital library offers access to video of university exhibitions, scientific events, symposia, and seminars.
The library was opened in 1946 as the Seoul National University Central Library, inheriting its facilities and books from Kyungsung University. In 1949, the name of the library was changed to the Seoul National University Library Annex. When the main branch of the library was relocated to the Gwanak Campus in January 1975, it was renamed the Seoul National University Library, and then renamed again in 1992 the Seoul National University Central Library.
In 1966, provisions were made to systematize the library's collections. The original library was organized into 12 annexes for each of the university's colleges: engineering, education, physics, art, law, theology, pharmacology, music, medicine, dentistry, administration, and agricultural sciences. Two years later, in 1968, libraries for newspapers and the liberal arts were added to bring the number of annexes to 14. However, as the main branch was moved to the Gwanak Campus, the education, physics, legal, theological, administrative, newspaper, liberal arts, and pharmacological libraries were combined in a single building.
Kyujanggak
The
Kyujanggak
The Kyujanggak, also known as Gyujanggak, was the royal library of the Joseon Dynasty. It was founded in 1776 by order of King Jeongjo of Joseon, at which time it was located on the grounds of Changdeokgung Palace. Today known as Kyujanggak Royal ...
, also known as Gyujanggak, was the royal library of the
Joseon dynasty
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
. It was founded in 1776 by order of
King Jeongjo of Joseon
Jeongjo of Joseon (28 October 1752 – 18 August 1800), personal name Yi San (Korean: 이산; Hanja: 李祘), sometimes called Jeongjo the Great (Korean: 정조대왕; Hanja: 正祖大王), was the 22nd monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. ...
, at which time it was located on the grounds of
Changdeok Palace
Changdeokgung (Hangul: 창덕궁, Hanja: 昌德宮; literally, "The Palace of Prospering Virtue"), also known as Changdeokgung Palace or Changdeok Palace, is set within a large park in Jongno District, Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the " Five ...
. Today known as Kyujanggak Royal Library or Kyujanggak Archives are maintained by Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies (규장각한국학연구원, Gyujanggak-Hangukhak-Yeonguwon) at the Seoul National University. It functions as a key repository of Korean historical records and a centre for research and publication of the annual journal ''Kyujanggak''.
Museum
Seoul National University Museum is located at the Gwanak Campus. It opened alongside the university in 1946 under the name "The Seoul National University Museum Annex." The original two-story
Dongsung-dong
Dongsung-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Jongno-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is a legal dong (''beopjeong-dong'' 법정동 ) administered under its administrative dong (''haengjeong-dong'' 행정동 ), Ihwa-dong.
Notable places
* The Kore ...
building, which was erected in 1941, had served as the Kyungsung Imperial University Museum until it was transferred intact to SNU. When the museum was moved to the sixth floor of the Central Library, in 1975, it was renamed the Seoul National University Museum. The museum was then moved to newly constructed facilities, next to the Dongwon Building, in 1993, which it has occupied to this day. Dr. Park Nak-gyu is its director.
Museum of Art
Seoul National University Museum of Art (SNUMoA) was established in 1995 with contributions from the Samsung Cultural Foundation after a proposal from Dr. Lee Jong-sang, a professor of Oriental Art. The building was designed by Dutch architect
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas (; born 17 November 1944) is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He is often cited as a re ...
, with construction entrusted to the
Samsung Group
The Samsung Group (or simply Samsung) ( ko, 삼성 ) is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea. It comprises numerous affiliated businesses, most of them united under the ' ...
. The structure lies three stories above and below ground, with its major distinguishing feature, the forward area,
cantilever
A cantilever is a rigid structural element that extends horizontally and is supported at only one end. Typically it extends from a flat vertical surface such as a wall, to which it must be firmly attached. Like other structural elements, a canti ...
ing off the ground. Construction lasted from 2003 to 2005, and the museum opened on June 8, 2006. Dr. Jung Hung-min assumed directorship of the gallery in 2006.
Gymnasium
Seoul National University Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena. The capacity of the arena is 5,000 and was built in 1986 to host table tennis and badminton (demonstration) events at the
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
.
Dormitory
The dormitory of Seoul National University is named Gwanaksa (관악사). Dormitories for undergraduate and graduate students as well as families are located here. It was founded August 1975, with five Gwanaksa buildings and one welfare building, which housed 970 male students. The female dormitory was founded in February 1983. By June 2007, there were one administration building, two welfare buildings, 12 undergraduate dormitory buildings, six graduate students’ dormitory buildings, which in total housed 3,680 students. Unlike other university dormitories in South Korea, there is no curfew hour.
The Yeongeonsa located in Yeongeon campus, which is the medical school of Seoul National University. The Yeongeonsa can house 533 undergraduate students and 17 family households.
''University Newspaper''
''The University Newspaper'' (대학신문, Daehak-Sinmun) is the students' press of Seoul National University. The first edition of the paper was launched while seeking refuge from the ravages of the Korean War, on February 4, 1952. In 1953 it was moved to
Dongsung-dong
Dongsung-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Jongno-gu in Seoul, South Korea. It is a legal dong (''beopjeong-dong'' 법정동 ) administered under its administrative dong (''haengjeong-dong'' 행정동 ), Ihwa-dong.
Notable places
* The Kore ...
in Seoul, where from 1958 even editions for high school were published. Financial difficulties in 1960 led the paper to cease printing for a time. It was relocated to the Gwanak Campus in 1975, where it has been in continuous publication until the present day. At the time of its first launch the paper was sold for 500 won a copy, sometimes twice a week. Now, however, it is distributed for free every Monday. The school paper is not available during schools breaks or exams.
Reputation and rankings
Reputation
A KEDI study found that the university's name-value translates into wages that are on average about 12 percent higher than that of any other Korean university. SNU graduates dominate South Korea's academics, government, politics and business. Approximately one in four Korean university presidents obtained their undergraduate degree at Seoul National University. Between 2003 and 2009, more students who graduated from science high schools and received presidential scholarships matriculated at Seoul National University than at eight other leading universities combined.
The chiefs of the College Scholastic Ability Test conducted by the government of the Republic of Korea are mainly Seoul National University, and graduates are widely studied in academia, politics and business circles in Korea. At the same time, there is a perception that 'the best university in Korea' or 'the place where the best minds of Korea gather' overlooks many talented people. South Korea is at the cusp of academics and there has been a claim that SNU should be abolished in order to overcome it. In fact, President Roh Moo-hyun had promoted the abolition of Seoul National University and SNU earlier.
International rankings
In 2015,
Thomson-Reuters
Thomson Reuters Corporation ( ) is a Canadian multinational media conglomerate. The company was founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where it is headquartered at the Bay Adelaide Centre.
Thomson Reuters was created by the Thomson Corpora ...
ranked Seoul National University as the 31st most innovative institution in the world.
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 ...
(2021)ranked SNU as the best university 37th in the world and 9th in Asia, whilst it is 9th in the independent regional
QS Asian 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 ...
(2020). SNU is 9th in Asia and 60th in the world according to the 2021
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
. In 2019, its
World Reputation Rankings
The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' (often referred to as the THE Rankings) is an annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' (THE) magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli ...
were considered it to be 47th globally. Moreover,
ARWU (2020) regarded SNU to be among 101st-150th worldwide and the best in the country. CWUR 2020-2021 ranks Seoul National University as 31st best in the world.
QS University Subject Rankings (2018): 25th,
Arts
The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...
and
Humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
; 16th,
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 ...
and
Technology
Technology is the application of knowledge to reach practical goals in a specifiable and reproducible way. The word ''technology'' may also mean the product of such an endeavor. The use of technology is widely prevalent in medicine, science, ...
; 37th,
Life Sciences
This list of life sciences comprises the branches of science that involve the scientific study of life – such as microorganisms, plants, and animals including human beings. This science is one of the two major branches of natural science, the ...
and
Medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pract ...
; 21st,
Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
and
Management
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
; 20th,
Natural Sciences
Natural science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer review and repeatab ...
.
The institute was ranked 20th in publications by a 2008 analysis of data from the
Science Citation Index
The Science Citation Index Expanded – previously entitled Science Citation Index – is a citation index originally produced by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) and created by Eugene Garfield. It was officially launched in 1964 and ...
, and the following year ranked 8th in the world in
clinical trials
Clinical trials are prospective biomedical or behavioral research studies on human participants designed to answer specific questions about biomedical or behavioral interventions, including new treatments (such as novel vaccines, drugs, dietar ...
. In 2011, the
Mines ParisTech: Professional Ranking World Universities reported that Seoul National University is ranked 10th in the world in terms of the number of alumni holding
CEO
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
positions in
Fortune 500
The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along ...
enterprises. Seoul National University also had the third highest number of students who went on to earn Ph.Ds in American institutions in 2006.
International partners
Seoul National University students can study abroad for a semester or a year at partner institutions such as the
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University (NTU; ) is a public research university in Taipei, Taiwan.
The university was founded in 1928 during Japanese rule as the seventh of the Imperial Universities. It was named Taihoku Imperial University and served d ...
,
Sciences Po
, motto_lang = fr
, mottoeng = Roots of the Future
, type = Public university, Public research university''Grande école''
, established =
, founder = Émile Boutmy
, a ...
,
Sorbonne University
Sorbonne University (french: Sorbonne Université; la Sorbonne: 'the Sorbonne') is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution's legacy reaches back to 1257 when Sorbonne College was established by Robert de Sorbon ...
,
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
, and the
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded i ...
.
Controversies
There are issues concerning diversity of foreign professors at SNU.
There was an effort to recruit foreign professors for several years from 2009 onwards, with numbers peaking at 242 or 4% of the total.
This number has declined, with a large proportion of the newer "foreign" recruits actually being former South Korean citizens who became naturalized as foreign citizens abroad.
Many of the earlier batch of foreign professors left after complaining over lack of accommodations, sometimes without even giving notice.
SNU failed to boost its international reputation when it offered contracts to
Nobel laureates who turned out to be mostly retired and holding other academic posts elsewhere, were rarely on campus and sometimes left before their contracts ran out.
Notable alumni and faculty
File:Kim Young-sam presidential portrait.jpg, Kim Young-sam
Kim Young-sam (; or ; 20 December 1927 – 22 November 2015) was a Demographics of South Korea, South Korean politician and activist who served as the seventh president of South Korea from 1993 to 1998.
From 1961, he spent almost 30 year ...
, 7th President of South 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 ...
File:Ban Ki-moon February 2016.jpg, Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Minister ...
, 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary-g ...
File:South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol portrait.jpg, Yoon Suk-yeol
Yoon Suk-yeol (; born 18 December 1960) is a South Korean politician, former public prosecutor and lawyer who has been serving as the 13th and current president of South Korea since 2022. Prior to his presidency, he served as the prosecutor g ...
, 13th President of South 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 ...
File:Lee Jae-yong in 2016.jpg, Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (, sometimes shortened to SEC and stylized as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean multinational corporation, multinational electronics corporation headquartered in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, South Korea. It is the pinnacle of ...
File:June Huh - ICM 2018.jpg, June Huh
June Huh (full name: June E Huh, ; born 1983) is an Korean-American mathematician who is currently a professor at Princeton University. Previously, he was a professor at Stanford University. He was awarded the Fields Medal in 2022 and a MacAr ...
, 2022 Fields Medal
The Fields Medal is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians under 40 years of age at the International Congress of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), a meeting that takes place every four years. The name of the award ho ...
ist
Among its notable alumni are prominent figures in international organizations and businesses such as
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon (; ; born 13 June 1944) is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth secretary-general of the United Nations between 2007 and 2016. Prior to his appointment as secretary-general, Ban was his country's Minister ...
, the eighth
secretary-general of the United Nations
The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
The role of the secretary-g ...
(UN);
Hoesung Lee
Hoesung Lee (born December 31, 1945) is a South Korean economist and current chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He is professor in the economics of climate change, energy and sustainable development in thGraduate School of ...
, chairman of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an intergovernmental body of the United Nations. Its job is to advance scientific knowledge about climate change caused by human activities. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) a ...
(IPCC);
Song Sang-hyun, former president of the
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt) is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal seated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is the first and only permanent international court with jurisdiction to prosecute individuals ...
(ICC);
Lee Jong-wook
Lee Jong-wook (12 April 1945 – 22 May 2006) was a South Korean physician. He was the director-general of the World Health Organization for three years. Lee joined the WHO in 1983, working on a variety of projects including the ''Global Prog ...
, the sixth director-general of the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of h ...
(WHO),
O-Gon Kwon
O-Gon Kwon (born 2 September 1953) () is a noted international South Korean judge, best known for being one of the three judges in the trial of Slobodan Milošević. He also sat on the bench for the trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Ka ...
, former vice president and permanent judge in the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was a body of the United Nations that was established to prosecute the war crimes that had been committed during the Yugoslav Wars and to try their perpetrators. The tribunal ...
(ICTY);
Kwon Oh-hyun
Kwon Oh-hyun (born 15 October 1952) is the former Vice Chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics. In 2013, ''Time Magazine'' added him to their top 100 list of most influential people.
In October 2017, he announced that he would resign in March 20 ...
, former CEO and vice chairman of
Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (, sometimes shortened to SEC and stylized as SΛMSUNG) is a South Korean multinational corporation, multinational electronics corporation headquartered in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, South Korea. It is the pinnacle of ...
; and
Bang Si-hyuk
Bang Si-hyuk (born August 9, 1972), known professionally as "Hitman" Bang (stylized as "hitman" bang), is a South Korean lyricist, composer, producer, and record executive. He is the founder of Big Hit Music (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) and ...
, the chairman and founder of
HYBE Corporation
Hybe Co., Ltd. (, stylized as HYBE Corporation) is a South Korean multinational entertainment company established in 2005 by Bang Si-hyuk as Big Hit Entertainment Co., Ltd. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music productio ...
.
In popular media
* The campus was used as a location for
SBS's drama ''
Star's Lover'' (2008). Specific sites, such as the gallery,
Kyujanggak
The Kyujanggak, also known as Gyujanggak, was the royal library of the Joseon Dynasty. It was founded in 1776 by order of King Jeongjo of Joseon, at which time it was located on the grounds of Changdeokgung Palace. Today known as Kyujanggak Royal ...
, and museum roads, were filmed to show the university where Kim Chul-soo (
Yoo Ji-tae
Yoo Ji-tae (born April 13, 1976) is a South Korean actor, film director and screenwriter. After a stint as a fashion model, Yoo launched his acting career in 1998 then rose to fame through the films '' Attack the Gas Station'' (1999) and '' Ditt ...
) works, classrooms where he gives his lectures, and the things Lee Ma-ri (
Choi Ji-woo) sees and experiences during a school visit. This was the first time the university allowed its campus to be used as a film or TV set.
* In May 2015, the 185th trip of the famous Korean variety show ''
2 Days & 1 Night'' helped publicize the university by holding various tasks on the campus in the show's very own fashion.
* In the
tvN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
drama ''
Reply 1988
''Reply 1988'' () is a South Korean television series starring Lee Hye-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol, Go Kyung-pyo, Park Bo-gum, and Lee Dong-hwi. Beginning in the year 1988, it revolves around five friends and their families living in the same neighborhoo ...
'' (2016),
Ryu Hye-young
Ryu Hye-young (born March 28, 1991) is a South Korean actress and model. She is best known for her role in the hit drama series ''Reply 1988'' (2015-2016) and ''Law School
A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an in ...
portrays Sung Bo-ra, an SNU student majoring in math education.
* In the hit
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...
drama ''
Sky Castle
''Sky Castle'' (; stylized as ''SKY Castle'') is a 2018–2019 South Korean television series starring Yum Jung-ah, Lee Tae-ran, Yoon Se-ah, Oh Na-ra, and Kim Seo-hyung. It aired on JTBC on Fridays and Saturdays, from November 23, 2018, to Febru ...
'' (2018–2019), SNU figures heavily in the plot.
* In
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
's critically acclaimed and hugely popular series ''
Squid Game
''Squid Game'' () is a South Korean survival drama television series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. Its cast includes Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, HoYeon Jung, O Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Anupam Tripathi, and Kim Joo-ryou ...
'' (2021), main character Cho Sang-woo's attendance at SNU is a recurring plot point.
* In the
tvN TVN may refer to:
* TVN (Australian TV channel), a former horse racing channel
* Televisión Nacional de Chile, a public broadcaster
* TVN (Indonesia), a former television station; predecessor of Rajawali Televisi
* TVN (Norway), or TVNorge, a comm ...
drama ''
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha
''Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha'' () is a 2021 South Korean television series starring Shin Min-a, Kim Seon-ho and Lee Sang-yi. It is a remake of 2004 South Korean film '' Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong''. It aired from August 28 to October 17, 2021, on tvN's Sat ...
'' (2021), main character Hong Du-sik is an SNU graduate.
* In the
SBS TV
SBS may refer to:
Broadcasting
* SBS Broadcasting Group, Belgium, formerly many countries
* Talpa TV, formerly SBS Broadcasting B.V., Netherlands
** SBS6, Dutch television channel
** SBS9, Dutch television channel
* Special Broadcasting Service ...
drama ''
The Penthouse: War in Life'' (2020–2021), many of the characters describe SNU as the ideal university to attend.
See also
*
TEPS
The Test of English Proficiency developed by Seoul National University or TEPS is an English proficiency test created by Seoul National University's Language Education Institute to evaluate South Korean test takers' English language skills. TE ...
*
Seoul National University Hospital
Seoul National University Hospital (서울대학교병원) is one of the oldest and biggest hospitals in South Korea. It is a general and teaching hospital of Seoul National University's College of Medicine. Its headquarters are in Yongon-dong, Jo ...
*
Seoul National University station
*
Flagship Korean National Universities
The Flagship National Universities (Korea NU 10, ko, 거점국립대학교, Hanja: 據點國立大學校, literally: national universities designed as provincial centres) is a collective term referring to ten universities in South Korea that hav ...
*
List of national universities in South Korea
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
List of universities and colleges 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
* Andon ...
*
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 ...
Notes
References
Further reading
*Seoul National University, ""''(The 40 years history of Seoul National University)'', 1986.
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
1946 establishments in Korea
Educational institutions established in 1946
Universities established in the 1940s
Universities and colleges in Seoul
National universities and colleges in South Korea
Gwanak District