Tag: South Korea

The 2026 KINGO WALKATHON took place across Jeju Island over 6 nights and 7 days, from Wednesday, July 8 to Tuesday, July 14. This year’s event brought together 107 SKKU students, who walked approximately 140km along the coast of Jeju, building a spirit of challenge and a sense of community.

 * The name “Kingo” is the university’s school title (校號); the most widely accepted theory traces its origin to the historical fact that during the Joseon Dynasty, the King (King) frequently visited (Go) Sungkyunkwan, the royal educational institution. Another theory holds that it derives from a modification of the English name of the gingko tree, our university’s symbolic tree.

The 2026 KINGO WALKATHON began in the area of Iho Tewoo Beach and centered on a coastal course through Jeju’s western and southern regions, passing through Aewol, Hallim, Hangyeong, Daejeong, Andeok, Jungmun, Seogwipo, and Namwon. Participants walked the daily courses in sequence, experiencing Jeju’s natural and cultural resources.

The event was hosted by the university and organized by the Student Council as a student-led program. It began with an opening ceremony on the first day and included a range of programs, including a coastal cleanup around Geumneung Beach, a campfire, an exchange with a visiting delegation led by the President offering encouragement to participants, and team talent shows.

This year in particular, the event went beyond a simple long-distance walk to add meaning as a program for learning shared responsibility toward the environment and local communities. Participants carried out coastal cleanup activities around Geumneung Beach and directly experienced Jeju’s ecological and coastal landscapes—including the Jeju Geological Trail course, Hayeong Olle, Bomok Port, and Haehyo Port—reflecting on the value of community-based action.

To ensure the safe operation of the event, the university divided responsibilities among a field team and an operations team, and managed participants in nine groups. The walking procession moved together with a lead vehicle, group members, and an ambulance, and a response system was established so that in the event of an injury, participants could be immediately transported by ambulance or university vehicle based on the field team’s judgment.

Lee Jun-sang, Vice President of Student Affairs, said, “The KINGO WALKATHON is a journey in which students carry forward our university’s spirit of innovation, which has continually taken on new paths throughout Sungkyunkwan’s 600-year tradition.” He added, “We will work closely with the Student Council to actively support students so that they can learn, step by step, the joy of surpassing themselves and building something together, and complete the walk safely.”

Lee Jae-hong and Lee Sang-su, Co-Presidents of the Student Council of SKKU, said, “Even in the sweltering heat, we carefully prepared the course, rest stops, safety management, and evening programs so that students could support one another as they walked.” They added, “We hope the KINGO WALKATHON becomes a moment of youth that all participants will remember for a long time.”

Students who took part in the 2026 KINGO WALKATHON concluded their 6-night, 7-day journey with a closing ceremony on Tuesday, July 14, at the Kumho Jeju Resort. Based on the experience of walking and learning together along the coast of Jeju, participants are expected to grow into stronger, more responsible members of the Sungkyunkwan community.

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) hosted a luncheon meeting with the Executive Committee of the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club (SFCC) at the R&E Lounge of the International Hall on July 3. Building on the partnership established through the first meeting held on August 14 last year, the event was organized to further strengthen cooperation and expand exchanges with the newly appointed SFCC Executive Committee.

Founded in 1956, the SFCC is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering collaboration and networking among foreign correspondents based in Seoul. Its membership includes journalists from approximately 100 media organizations representing around 100 countries. Through press briefings, meetings with key institutions and public figures, and on-site reporting, the SFCC plays a central role in international news coverage related to Korea.

The SFCC delegation included President Nakagawa Takashi of The Yomiuri Shimbun(Japan); First Vice President Kang, Hyung Bin of People’s Daily Online(China); Second Vice President Raphael Rashid of The Guardian(United Kingdom); Director-at-Large Choi, Moon Seon of The Yomiuri Shimbun(Japan); Secretary General Ku, Yuna of BBC World Service(United Kingdom); and Auditor Huang, Xinxin of Xinhua News Agency(China). Representing SKKU were President Yoo Ji-Beom, Vice President for the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus Choi Hoon-Seok, Vice President for Planning and Coordination Yoo Piljin, Vice President for External Affairs Ji Seong Woo, and other university officials.

The program began with a welcome reception, followed by opening remarks from President Yoo, a congratulatory address by an SFCC vice president, and a screening of the university’s promotional video. During the luncheon, participants shared updates on SKKU’s internationalization initiatives and major achievements while exchanging ideas on future areas of cooperation.

President Yoo Ji-Beom remarked, “International media play a vital role in connecting universities with the world and promoting research achievements to the global community. I hope that SKKU and the SFCC will continue to build a strong global partnership based on close collaboration.”

Kang, Hyung Bin, First Vice President of the SFCC, stated, “I hope this visit will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen exchanges between SKKU and the SFCC. We look forward to continuing our close cooperation in promoting the university’s outstanding achievements in education and research to the international community.”

In the afternoon, the delegation toured major campus facilities, including the Sungkyunkwan University Museum, where they showed great interest in the university’s rich history and traditions as well as its educational and research environment.

Through this meeting, SKKU plans to further strengthen its cooperative network with the international press and continue communicating with global media to promote the university’s excellence in education, research, and international competitiveness worldwide.

Sungkyunkwan University (President Ji-beom Yoo) announced that its Institute of Confucian Philosophy and Culture (Director, Professor Doil Kim) has published Buddhist-Confucian Dialogue: A Contribution to the Comparative Philosophy of Religion through Springer Nature, one of the world’s leading academic publishers. The volume offers a fresh examination of the relationship between Confucianism and Buddhism, two of the most influential intellectual traditions in East Asia.

Released as the seventh volume in Springer’s renowned Comparative Philosophy of Religion series, the book was co-edited by Professor Doil Kim and Professor Leah Kalmanson of the University of North Texas. Bringing together leading scholars from Korea and abroad, the volume highlights the growing contribution of East Asian philosophy to international discussions in comparative philosophy and philosophy of religion.

Contributors examine a wide range of topics, including life and death, emotion and morality, self-cultivation, political order, meditation, music, and humility. Through these studies, the volume illustrates how Confucian and Buddhist thinkers often engaged one another through critique, adaptation, and creative reinterpretation, thereby enriching both traditions. The book further suggests that these intellectual resources remain relevant for contemporary discussions of moral development, human flourishing, and the search for meaningful ways of life.

Contributors include prominent researchers such as Steven Heine, Jea Sophia Oh and Albert Welter, together with distinguished Korean scholars including Professor Youngho Lee of Sungkyunkwan University and Professor Yongbin You of the University of Seoul, longtime collaborators of the Institute. Their participation reflects the Institute’s growing role as an international hub for research on East Asian philosophy and religion.

This publication represents the culmination of more than four years of sustained scholarly collaboration. Since 2021, the Institute has fostered a series of conversations on Confucian–Buddhist dialogue, with earlier research outcomes collected in the Korean volume Confucian-Buddhist Dialogue: Communication and Harmony between Buddhist and Confucian Thought (Janggyeonggak, 2024). The new Springer volume brings these discussions into a global scholarly forum, demonstrating how Korean humanities research is not merely participating in international academic conversations but helping to shape and advance them.

Beyond its research achievements, the Institute has also emerged as a leading center for training the next generation of humanities scholars. Seven early-career researchers affiliated with the Institute’s Center for the Contemporary Study of East Asian Classics and Critical Confucianism (CCECC) have secured faculty appointments at major Korean universities, including Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul National University, and Pusan National University.

Professor Doil Kim has also continued to expand Sungkyunkwan University’s global academic presence through his own research. In December 2025, he published The Art of Seeing Beyond Oneself: A Confucian Perspective on Humility with Oxford University Press, further contributing to international scholarship on Confucian ethics and comparative philosophy.

SKKU conducted its annual Rural Outreach Program from June 23 to 28 in eleven villages across Moseo-myeon, Modong-myeon, and Hwadong-myeon in Sangju, North Gyeongsang Province, with the participation of approximately 160 students.

As one of SKKU’s flagship social contribution initiatives, the Rural Outreach Program has been held annually to provide students with meaningful educational experiences that go beyond volunteer activities. The program strengthens social solidarity between urban and rural communities while fostering a sense of social responsibility through collaboration and shared engagement.

This year’s Rural Outreach Program was designed to cultivate students’ character and promote the spirit of urban-rural coexistence by supporting farming communities facing labor shortages. Participating students worked closely with local residents and engaged in a variety of activities, including weeding, organizing grape vines, and maintaining farmland. More than 30 student teams applied to participate, demonstrating strong interest and enthusiasm for rural communities among SKKU students.

On June 27, President Ji-Beom Yoo and Dean of Student Affairs Junsang Lee visited a village hall in Modong-myeon to encourage students participating in the program. SKKU plans to continue expanding its social contribution initiatives based on mutual growth and cooperation with rural communities, further contributing to sustainable regional development and community well-being.

International Affairs Division (Vice President of International Affairs Min Hyo Cho) successfully launched its flagship global program, the International Summer Semester (ISS), now in its 18th year. This year’s ISS runs for four weeks from June 26 to July 24 at the Humanities and Social Sciences Campus.

A total of 1,021 students from 126 universities in 39 countries are participating this year, representing a 26.4% increase from the previous year. Among international participants excluding SKKU students, the United States recorded the highest participation with 116 students, followed by the United Kingdom (100) and Australia (80).

The 2026 ISS offers 42 courses spanning a wide range of disciplines, including business and economics, humanities and social sciences, AI and data science, and Korean language and Korean studies. The program features lectures delivered by 17 visiting professors from overseas institutions and 10 SKKU faculty members.

Regular classes are held from Monday through Thursday, while Fridays are dedicated to cultural activities such as visits to Gyeongbokgung Palace, performances, and tours to Everland and the DMZ, encouraging active interaction among students. This year, a new program in collaboration with SKKU student clubs has been introduced to help participants from overseas universities build deeper connections with SKKU students.

In addition, the Global Colloquium, an academic event featuring faculty members from leading overseas universities including Toronto, Carnegie Mellon, Houston, and Albany, will be held on July 23 for the second consecutive year. Under the theme “Reimagining Service and Well-being in the Digital Age,” the colloquium will explore interdisciplinary research and opportunities for global collaboration.

Following the completion of ISS, selected international students will continue their academic journey through the Research Internship program, participating in full-time research activities in SKKU laboratories. Building on last year’s initiative, this year’s internship program will welcome 26 students, up from 15 participants in 2025. Through this initiative, the Office of International Affairs aims to attract outstanding international talent to SKKU’s graduate programs and further expand the foundation for international collaborative research.