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- [Alumni] Media and Communication Alumnus Kim Kwang-min Fulfills Personal Pledge to Give Back to His Alma Mater NEW
- A Promise Kept: Giving Back to His Alma Mater - Kim Kwang-min (Class of 2000, Media and Communication) Donates KRW 200 Million to the Department of Media and Communication - ▲ Kim Kwang-min (Class of 2000, Media and Communication), right, presents his donation to President Yoo Ji-beom during the development fund donation ceremony. The University Development and External Relations Office, headed by Vice President Choi Jae-boong, held a donation ceremony on June 10, 2026, at the President’s Reception Room in the 600th Anniversary Hall on the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus. The event recognized a major gift from alumnus Kim Kwang-min (Department of Media and Communication, formerly Journalism and Mass Communication, Class of 2000). Kim pledged a total of KRW 200 million (approximately USD 145,000) to support the Department of Media and Communication. The contribution will be divided equally between the Department of Media and Communication Development Fund and the newly established Kim Kwang-min Scholarship Fund, both aimed at advancing education, research, and student support within the department. With this commitment, Kim becomes the youngest donor in the history of the department’s development fund and sets a new record for the largest single contribution ever made to the fund. The ceremony was attended by Kim and his family, including his wife and two daughters, as well as University President Yoo Ji-beom, Vice President Choi Hoon-seok, Foundation Director Lee Dong-hwan, Dean of the College of Social Sciences Park Sung-min, Professor Park Hyun-soon of the Department of Media and Communication, Director Lee Se-young of the Center for Innovation and Shared Education (Class of 1999, Media and Communication), Development Cooperation Team Leader Won Tae-hee, alumnus Jo Yoon-seok (Class of 2002), and current students from the department. ▲ Kim Kwang-min (Media and Communication, Class of 2000) shares remarks about his donation during the ceremony. Kim entered the university’s College of Social Sciences in 2000. He later majored in Media and Communication and completed a second major in Business Administration before graduating in February 2009. More than a celebration of personal success, Kim’s donation carries a deeper significance: it represents the fulfillment of a promise he made to himself during a difficult period in his life. Reflecting on a recent personal challenge, Kim shared that he had resolved to donate to his alma mater if he was able to overcome the crisis. Rather than merely recovering, he achieved even greater success than he had anticipated. The donation ceremony, he said, was an opportunity to honor that commitment. During the event, Kim presented a pledge board representing the KRW 200 million commitment to President Yoo. On behalf of the university, Yoo expressed his gratitude by presenting Kim with a commemorative plaque. The university also presented a commemorative gift and flowers, while Kim’s family—who had supported him throughout his journey—received floral arrangements and commemorative bouquets. The ceremony concluded with a series of commemorative photographs in a warm and celebratory atmosphere. “It is deeply meaningful to be able to fulfill a promise I made to myself many years ago—to give back to the university that helped shape who I am,” Kim said. “I hope this contribution, however modest, will help future students focus on their studies and pursue even bigger dreams.” ▲ President Yoo Ji-beom thanks Kim Kwang-min (Media and Communication, Class of 2000) for his commitment to supporting the university and its students. President Yoo thanked Kim and his family for their generosity and commitment to the university community. “We are sincerely grateful to Mr. Kim and his family for their thoughtful support of both their alma mater and future generations of students,” Yoo said. “This gift will strengthen the educational environment of the Department of Media & Communication and provide students with greater opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive.” The newly established Kim Kwang-min Scholarship Fund will provide direct financial support to students in the Department of Media & Communication, while the Department of Media and Communication Development Fund will be used to enhance educational and research infrastructure and support the department’s long-term growth.
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- 작성일 2026-06-11
- 조회수 4
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- SICS Seminar Explores U.S.–China Strategic Competition and the Return of Industrial Policy NEW
- SICS Seminar Explores U.S.–China Strategic Competition and the Return of Industrial Policy On June 9, the Sungkyun Institute of China Studies (SICS), directed by Professor Lee Jong-hyeok, hosted a seminar at the International Hall. The event featured Professor Seungjoo Lee of Chung-Ang University’s Department of Political Science and International Relations, who delivered a lecture titled “U.S.–China Strategic Competition and Industrial Policy.” The seminar examined how intensifying strategic competition between the United States and China has reshaped industrial policy and advanced technology development. Professor Lee focused on the growing importance of economic and technological security, the resurgence of industrial policy, and the contrasting approaches adopted by Washington and Beijing to foster strategic industries. During the presentation, he argued that U.S.–China competition has evolved beyond a conventional trade dispute into a broader structural rivalry encompassing advanced technologies, global supply chains, and economic security. He further analyzed how these developments have influenced the industrial strategies of both countries and transformed the global economic landscape. The discussion highlighted recent U.S. initiatives to strengthen semiconductor and advanced technology industries, including export controls, investment screening mechanisms, and supply chain restructuring efforts. It also explored China’s pursuit of technological self-reliance and innovation-driven development, while assessing both the strengths and limitations of its industrial policy framework. Following the presentation, students and researchers from a range of disciplines—including political science and international relations, Chinese studies, and public administration—engaged in a lively discussion on the relationship between industrial policy and national strategy, the implications of U.S.–China strategic competition, and policy considerations for South Korea. Professor Lee is widely recognized for his research on U.S. and Chinese foreign policy, international political economy, economic security, and industrial policy. His recent work has focused on strategic competition between the two powers, emerging technology governance, and economic security policy. “Amid growing uncertainty in the international environment, academic discussions on economic security and international political economy are becoming increasingly important,” said Professor Lee Jong-hyeok, Director of SICS. “The institute will continue to expand scholarly dialogue on key issues surrounding China and provide a platform for leading researchers from Korea and abroad to share their latest findings and strengthen academic exchange.”
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- 작성일 2026-06-10
- 조회수 28
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- Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi Delivers Special Lecture on Korea–Kenya Cooperation NEW
- Kenyan Foreign Affairs Minister Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi Delivers Special Lecture on Korea–Kenya Cooperation On June 2, the Department of Political Science and International Relations, the Graduate School of National Strategy, and the Center for Good Democracy hosted a special lecture by Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya, at the Sohyang Hall in the 600th Anniversary Building. Prior to the lecture, Minister Mudavadi and Emmy Jerono Kipsoi, Ambassador of Kenya to the Republic of Korea, met with President YOO Ji-beom to discuss Kenya’s policy priorities in the ICT sector and to request strengthened academic and institutional cooperation with the university. President YOO expressed the university’s commitment to expanding exchanges and collaboration with Kenyan universities. Under the theme “Korea–Kenya Future Cooperation in Partnership,” Minister Mudavadi delivered a one-hour lecture to students, outlining his assessment of the current international order. He noted that the global community is facing rising unilateralism, the increasing transactionalization of diplomacy, and heightened geopolitical tensions, including conflicts involving the United States, Israel, Iran, and the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war. In response, he emphasized Africa’s efforts to strengthen regional economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), while pursuing diversified global partnerships aimed at moving beyond aid dependency toward mutually beneficial development. He further highlighted the evolving partnership between Kenya and the Republic of Korea, particularly in the field of information and communication technology (ICT). Among key examples, he pointed to Konza Technopolis, a flagship smart city project in Kenya involving cooperation with the Korean government. He also noted expanding collaboration in health and medical sectors, including the potential establishment of a branch of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), as well as growing cooperation in climate action and renewable energy as part of a broader green transition agenda. Minister Mudavadi, who entered Kenya’s parliament at the age of 29, has spent more than 35 years in public service. His career includes serving as Vice President (2002–2003) and Deputy Prime Minister (2008–2013), and he currently holds a senior cabinet position equivalent to a prime ministerial coordinating role. Responding to students’ questions about career development, he shared personal reflections on his political journey and advised students to cultivate discipline and self-control as essential foundations for pursuing any ambition. Following the lecture, Minister Mudavadi toured Vicheondang and Myeongnyundang, where he learned about the university’s 600-year history. Observing the close integration of the Confucian shrine, lecture hall, and residential quarters, he remarked that the spatial organization of the campus offered a deeper understanding of Korea’s longstanding emphasis on education.
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- 작성일 2026-06-10
- 조회수 28
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- [Faculty] Professor Cho Won-bin, [Hankook Ilbo Column] "Bridging the Geographic and Emotional Distance Between Korea and Africa" NEW
- Bridging the Geographic and Emotional Distance Between Korea and Africa Foreign Minister Cho Hyun delivers opening remarks at the 2026 Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held at Lotte Hotel in Seoul on June 1. (News1) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the 2026 Korea–Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Seoul from May 31 to June 2. As the first ministerial-level gathering organized by the Korean government with invitations extended to all African countries and regional organizations, the meeting brought together vice ministers, senior officials, and representatives from 50 countries, along with delegates from four regional organizations. Through a joint statement, Korea and African partners reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening economic cooperation and working together to address global challenges. Both sides agreed to explore mutually beneficial forms of practical cooperation that connect Korea’s advanced technological capabilities with Africa’s abundant reserves of critical minerals. They also agreed to begin formal discussions on holding the next Korea–Africa Summit in 2029 and establishing the summit as a regular platform for engagement. The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) also used the occasion to expand development cooperation through a series of bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from ten countries, including Kenya and Tanzania. Of particular significance was the signing of a host-country agreement with Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The agreement lays the foundation for positioning Kenya as an institutional hub for Korea’s grant aid cooperation in East Africa. Its central purpose is to provide a legal framework that guarantees KOICA’s authority and operational scope in Kenya, reflecting both the growing scale of bilateral development cooperation and the evolving local development environment. In doing so, KOICA has underscored a broader shift in perspective—viewing African countries not simply as recipients of aid, but as partners in addressing increasingly complex global challenges. Students at Sungkyunkwan University, where I teach, also had the opportunity to gain a valuable firsthand perspective during this period. Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, visited the university despite his demanding schedule to deliver a special lecture titled “Korea and Kenya: Partners in Future Cooperation.” Through his remarks, students were able to learn how closely connected Kenya and Korea have become and to better understand Kenya’s efforts to promote economic development and long-term growth. During the lecture, Minister Mudavadi repeatedly highlighted the role of the Korea–Africa Foundation. He noted that the very existence of the foundation, an organization affiliated with Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reflects the importance Korea places on its relationship with Africa. For Kenya and many other African countries, the foundation provides an accessible platform for expanding exchanges and cooperation. As part of efforts to educate younger generations about Africa, Minister Mudavadi also introduced the foundation’s Africa visit programs and enthusiastically encouraged students to visit Kenya. For many Koreans, Africa remains distant—not only geographically, but also emotionally. Yet initiatives such as the Korea–Africa ministerial meetings and the diverse exchange programs supported by the Korea–Africa Foundation are helping to narrow that gap. As these interactions continue to deepen and become more institutionalized, one can look forward to a future in which Korea and Africa are connected not by distance, but by partnership, understanding, and shared aspirations.
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- 작성일 2026-06-09
- 조회수 40
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- [Faculty] Professor Baek Taehyun, Why Are Meme Ads for Luxury Brands More Likely to Be Shared? NEW
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- 작성일 2026-06-05
- 조회수 8
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- [Faculty] Professor Yoon Bi, [Kyunghyang Shinmun Column] "There Is No Thucydides Trap"
- There Is No Thucydides Trap Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping attracted attention by reportedly telling U.S. President Donald Trump that “there is no Thucydides Trap.” The term, popularized by political scientist Graham Allison, refers to the idea that when an established hegemon perceives a rising power as a threat, the conditions for conflict emerge between them. Allison borrowed the concept from the ancient Greek historian Thucydides. Explaining the causes of the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta (431–404 BCE), Thucydides argued that the growth of Athens after the Persian Wars and the fear this inspired in Sparta made war inevitable. By declaring that no Thucydides Trap exists, Xi was likely sending a message that the United States and China need not follow a path toward confrontation. Some observers have interpreted the remark as an effort to emphasize China’s status as a great power equal to the United States. For many Koreans, however, the question is much simpler: Which side should we support—America or China? While Athens and Sparta fought each other to exhaustion, Persia quietly gained what it wanted. For Korea, caught between rival superpowers, the challenge is to look beyond the conflict itself. Readers of the novel Kapitan Lee by Jeon Gwang-yong are often reminded of how shifts in international power shaped the logic of success and survival on the Korean Peninsula. When Japan dominated, one behaved like a Japanese citizen. When Russia gained influence, one adapted to Russian ways. When the United States emerged as the dominant power, speaking and acting like an American—or at least appearing to do so—became a path to advancement. For citizens of a relatively weak country, carefully reading the international environment was often essential not only for national survival but also for personal success. Koreans’ remarkable sensitivity to global trends and their ability to absorb and adapt foreign influences are not the product of some unique national gene. Rather, they reflect a collective psychology forged by history. Yet the real lesson of the Peloponnesian War lies elsewhere. Thucydides viewed the world through the limits of a Greek observer. In his eyes, history revolved around Athens and Sparta. As a result, he portrayed their conflict as a struggle whose outcome would determine the future of the entire known world. But widening the lens reveals a very different picture. Even after the Persian Wars, the dominant power of the Eastern Mediterranean remained the Persian Empire. In population, economic resources, administrative capacity, and territorial scale, the Greek city-states were no match for it. Thucydides, as a Greek, may have found this difficult to accept, but Greece remained little more than a frontier region on the margins of a Persian-dominated world. That reality did not fundamentally change even after the Greek victory over Persia. In fact, the Peloponnesian War was, from a broader perspective, little more than a conflict between regional powers taking place on one corner of an international order ultimately shaped by Persia. What, then, was the outcome? In the end, Persia was the only true winner. While Athens and Sparta spent nearly three decades exhausting themselves in relentless warfare, Persia stepped back and watched. When the balance of the war shifted toward Sparta following Athens’ disastrous Sicilian Expedition, Persia provided assistance to Sparta. At the same time, it maintained ties with Athens as well. When the war finally ended with a Spartan victory, Persia changed course once again. It supplied funds to Athens, helping rebuild its navy and encouraging resistance against Spartan dominance. It was a masterful strategy of playing rivals against one another. The result was predictable. The Greek city-states emerged from the conflict exhausted and weakened. Eventually, they accepted a peace settlement brokered by the Persian king—the so-called King’s Peace. In practice, the agreement largely ratified the regional order that Persia had sought all along. The spectacle of Athens and Sparta was striking enough. Yet the fate of the smaller cities that chose sides and fought desperately on behalf of one power or the other was even more tragic. Many disappeared altogether. Others eventually fell under Persian control. The reason this story deserves our attention is simple. If we fail to look beyond what is immediately visible, we risk missing what matters most. For a country such as Korea, positioned squarely between the competing forces of the United States and China, acting rashly would be especially dangerous. Korea today possesses military and economic capabilities far greater than at any point in its history. Precisely because of that strength, a miscalculation by Korea could itself become a catalyst for confrontation between major powers. We live in an era when discussions of Korea achieving one trillion dollars in exports and joining the ranks of the world’s five leading trading nations are no longer unrealistic aspirations. As Korea’s position in the international order grows, so too does its responsibility. That responsibility extends beyond simply selling more products abroad. In this renewed age of great-power rivalry, Korea’s most valuable strategic assets will be the ability to understand the complexities of reality, the foresight to prepare for the future, and the sense of responsibility required to act wisely within an increasingly uncertain world. Professor Yoon Bi, Sungkyunkwan University
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- 작성일 2026-06-01
- 조회수 118
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- [Faculty] Professor Koo Jeong Woo, [Segye Ilbo Column] "The Illusion of 'Fair Pay'"
- The Illusion of 'Fair Pay' Is it fair when innovators and executors receive the same rewards? Ignoring worker solidarity and long-term value, Samsung’s labor deal sets a troubling precedent. The year was 2021. A fourth-year employee at SK Hynix sent an email of protest directly to the company’s CEO. “Didn’t you promise bonuses comparable to Samsung’s?” the employee demanded. “Disclose the formula used to calculate performance bonuses.” Five years later, the situation has reversed. Today, it is Samsung Electronics employees who are demanding compensation on par with that of SK Hynix. This is where the debate over “fair pay” begins. For many younger labor unions, particularly those associated with the so-called MZ generation, the idea of fairness has become a defining identity. Worker solidarity is often an afterthought. So too is the company’s future value. The prevailing belief is straightforward: corporate performance is the result of my effort and my talent; therefore, compensation should rise in proportion to performance. Samsung Electronics has now concluded its latest wage agreement. The union had threatened to halt production unless employees received performance bonuses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars per person. The company faced the prospect of losses approaching 100 trillion won. With limited authority to dismiss workers and growing constraints on seeking damages from labor actions, management found itself backed into a corner. The strike was ultimately avoided, and the immediate conflict was resolved. Yet the public backlash has only intensified. Criticism has come not only from management but also from shareholders and ordinary citizens. Their wording may differ, but the underlying question is the same: Is it truly fair for employees to receive enormous bonuses simply because they happen to work within the semiconductor division? ▲Koo Jeong Woo, Professor of Sociology at Sungkyunkwan University Contrary to popular perception, these bonuses are not merely a cash giveaway. Funded through 10.5 percent of operating profit, most are paid in company stock and are subject to restrictions on sale. At first glance, the arrangement resembles the compensation systems used by global technology giants such as NVIDIA, where equity awards help retain talent and encourage long-term commitment. Yet a crucial difference remains. NVIDIA is a fabless company that does not directly operate manufacturing plants. The overwhelming majority of its workforce is engaged in research and development, chip design, and software ecosystem creation. These employees design breakthrough AI architectures that generate extraordinary value. It is therefore unsurprising that they receive substantial stock-based compensation. Samsung Electronics is fundamentally different. It is a massive manufacturing enterprise in which researchers and production workers coexist, with the latter constituting a larger share of the workforce. Certainly, semiconductor success depends on both innovation and execution. Even the most advanced technology cannot generate results without process stabilization, yield improvement, and disciplined operational excellence on the factory floor. Still, it is difficult to deny that innovation originates primarily in research and development. Without decades of accumulated memory technology and the development of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), today’s explosion in AI-driven demand would not have been possible. This raises an important question: Is it fair for those who create innovation and those who implement it to receive essentially the same rewards? Samsung’s bonus system appears less like a carefully calibrated reward for individual effort and skill than a windfall generated by a combination of organizational affiliation and favorable market conditions. Engineers continued to innovate. The AI ecosystem expanded at an unprecedented pace. Those fortunate enough to stand on that rising wave received extraordinary compensation. It is hardly surprising that many ordinary citizens view such outcomes with frustration and a sense of exclusion. There is another dimension of fairness at stake. Why should employees in loss-making units receive large bonuses merely because their division falls under the broader semiconductor business? Conversely, why should employees in the consumer electronics division—who sustained corporate earnings when semiconductors struggled—be excluded from similar rewards? This, too, is difficult to reconcile with notions of fairness. It violates not only principles of solidarity and shared prosperity but also a more egalitarian understanding of fairness, one that seeks to recognize the contributions of all groups within an organization. Unsurprisingly, voting patterns on the agreement revealed sharp divisions between business units. Behind the celebrated achievement of “fair pay” lies a structural imbalance. Firms must comply with strict working-hour regulations, face significant obstacles to workforce reductions, and often have limited recourse for recovering damages from labor disputes. Under such conditions, companies can find themselves largely powerless when confronted by collective demands for ever-higher compensation. As President Lee Jae-myung has argued, management rights deserve respect no less than labor rights. Samsung Electronics’ latest wage agreement may therefore prove to be an unfortunate precedent. In industry after industry, more workers are likely to demand compensation beyond what fairness itself would justify—while invoking the language of fairness. Companies, meanwhile, may find themselves increasingly pushed to one side of an uneven playing field. The deeper problem is the illusion that such arrangements constitute genuinely fair pay. When the market cannot resolve these tensions, the government steps in. Under mounting political pressure, a settlement is eventually declared. The result will be slower technological development, less investment in facilities, weakened competitiveness, and ultimately the end of the bonus bonanza.
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- 작성일 2026-06-01
- 조회수 100
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- [Faculty] Professor Lee Jeong-eun’s Team Selected for 2026 Autism Research Support Program
- Professor Lee Jeong-eun’s Team Selected for 2026 Autism Research Support Program by the Korean Society for Autism and the Hamkkeut Foundation A research team led by Professor Lee Jeong-eun of the Department of Child Psychology and Education has been selected for the 2026 Autism Research Support Program jointly sponsored by the Korean Society for Autism and the Hamkkeut Foundation. The funded project, titled “Development and Implementation of a Self-Care Program to Promote Mental Health Among Autistic Adults,” aims to develop an evidence-based self-care model designed to support the mental well-being and independent living of autistic adults. Each year, the Korean Society for Autism and the Hamkkeut Foundation jointly administer the Autism Research Support Program to advance scholarship and practical research related to autism spectrum disorders. Professor Lee’s proposal was selected following an internal review process and evaluation by expert reviewers in the field of autism studies. Under the program, the research team will receive KRW 12 million in funding over a 16-month period from April 2026 to July 2027. The project is expected to result in the publication of one peer-reviewed academic journal article and contribute meaningful insights into effective self-care interventions that enhance both mental health outcomes and quality of life for autistic adults.
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- 작성일 2026-05-29
- 조회수 136
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- [Faculty] Professor Hong Kyung-zoon, [Financial News Column] "A Warm Meal Should Come Before Proof of Poverty"
- A Warm Meal Should Come Before Proof of Poverty Although welfare spending in Korea reaches new record highs each year, there are still people living in the shadows of society, suffering from a kind of poverty that is difficult to prove. For those struggling simply to secure their next meal, the bureaucratic process of obtaining documents and demonstrating financial hardship in order to receive public assistance can itself become a formidable barrier. Many hesitate to seek help at all. That is precisely why the government launched the “Just Dream” initiative under the slogan: “Hunger does not require documentation.” The program provides immediate food assistance to people facing economic hardship without first asking whether they meet formal eligibility criteria. What began last December as a pilot project at 57 sites was expanded into a full-scale national program on May 18, increasing the number of operating locations to 280. What distinguishes Just Dream from conventional in-kind assistance programs is that it does more than simply distribute food. The initiative is also designed to connect recipients with broader welfare services when additional support is deemed necessary through on-site counseling. From December of last year through April, the program provided food assistance to 97,926 individuals, and through follow-up consultations, linked 1,553 households to additional welfare services. For the program to take root successfully in local communities, however, several challenges must still be addressed. First, there must be harmony between human judgment and administrative systems. As the project entered its full implementation phase, a self-assessment checklist was introduced to help ensure that those genuinely in need can access support. Yet frontline workers must remain attentive so that vulnerable individuals do not walk away simply because they fail to recognize their own situation as a crisis. Human sensitivity remains indispensable in identifying warning signs. In addition, local institutions and community networks that are likely to encounter vulnerable households should be actively mobilized. One promising example is the partnership with the National Police Agency, which enables officers to connect people in need directly to the program. Second, sustained cooperation between the public and private sectors is essential. It is encouraging that private donations have already reached 11.6 billion won, including a 10 billion won contribution from Shinhan Financial Group. The government should continue publicizing cases in which the program has helped individuals overcome crisis situations, both to demonstrate its effectiveness and to encourage continued private-sector participation. Finally, outreach efforts must become more diverse and proactive. Temporary workers, day laborers and small-business owners — groups highly vulnerable to economic downturns — often have little experience navigating the welfare system and may not even consider asking for help when sudden hardship strikes. Public awareness campaigns should therefore focus on locations these groups frequently visit, ensuring that the Just Dream program comes readily to mind when needed. Mobile outreach centers serving neighborhoods with high concentrations of housing-insecure residents could also be considered. Providing a warm meal before demanding proof of poverty is not an act of indiscriminate generosity. It is a fundamental responsibility of the state to uphold human dignity. One hopes that Just Dream will become a meaningful symbol of solidarity — one that binds together even the most vulnerable corners of our society.
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- 작성일 2026-05-27
- 조회수 109