Yonsei University

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This article refers to the South Korean private university. For the "Yonsei Japanese-American", see Japanese American.
Yonsei University
연세대학교
Motto: The truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
진리가 너희를 자유케 하리라. (요한복음 8:32)
Established: Hospital established in 1885 by royal support, college installed in 1915. The university was established in January 5, 1957 by merger of two.[1]
Type: Private
President: Kim, Han-joong
Faculty: 2,397
Staff: 1,155
Students: 31,087
Undergraduates: 18,785
Postgraduates: 12,302
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Campus: Urban
Mascot: Eagle
Website: www.yonsei.ac.kr/eng/
Yonsei University
Hangul 연세대학교
Hanja 延世大學校
Revised Romanization Yeonse Daehakgyo
McCune-Reischauer Yŏnse Taehakkyo

Yonsei University (pronounced [jənsɛː]) is a private, coeducational university located in Seoul, South Korea.

The university was formally established in January, 1957 through the union of Yonhi College and Severance Union Medical College. This was a result of a lasting bilateral cooperation between the two colleges which had begun much earlier, in the 1920s. The institutions were new to Korea at the time of their inception — Yonhi was one of the first modern colleges, founded originally as Chosun Christian College in March, 1915, and Severence has its roots in the first modern medical center in Korea, Gwanghyewon, founded in April, 1885. As a tribute, the name 'Yon-sei' was derived from the first syllables of the names of its two parent institutions.


Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Beginnings (1885 - 1916)

The Yonsei University Medical School dates back to April 10, 1885, when the first modern hospital to practice western medicine in Korea, Gwanghyewon (광혜원 廣惠院, House of Extended Grace), was established.

The hospital was founded by Horace Newton Allen, the American protestant missionary appointed to Korea by the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A (from here on the Church). The hospital was renamed Jejungwon (제중원 濟衆院, House of Universal Helpfulness) on April 23. As there appeared numerous difficulties, the Church appointed Oliver R. Avison to run Jejungwon on July 16, 1893. Initially, Gwanghyewon was financed by the Korean government, while the medical staff was provided by the Church. However, by 1894 when the First Sino-Japanese War and Gabo reforms took place, the government was not able to continue its financial support and thus, management of Jejungwon now came fully under the Church. In 1899 Avison returned to the US and attended a conference of missionaries in New York where he elaborated on the medical project in Korea. Louis H. Sevrance, a businessman and philanthropist from Cleveland, Ohio, was present and deeply moved. He later paid for the major portion of the construction cost of new buildings for the medical facility. Jejungwon was renamed Severance Hospital in his name.

Gwanghyewon in the garden of yonsei-history
Gwanghyewon in the garden of yonsei-history

Jejungwon (later Severance Hospital) was primarily a hospital but it also performed medical education as an attachment. The hospital admitted its first class of 16 medical students selected through examinations in 1886, one year after its establishment. By 1899, Jejungwon Medical School was independently and officially recognized. Following the increase of diversity in missionary denominations in Korea, collaboration began to form — with time, Jejungwon began to receive medical staff, school faculty and financial support from the Union Council of Korean Missionaries (한국연합선교협의회) in 1912. Accordingly, the medical school was renamed Severance Union Medical College in 1913.

The rest of Yonsei University traces its origins to Chosun Christian College (조선기독교대학), which was founded on March 5, 1915, by another American Protestant missionary sent by the Church, Horace Grant Underwood. Underwood became the first president, and Avison vice president. It was located at the YMCA. Courses began in April with 60 students and 18 faculty members.

Underwood died of illness on October 12, 1916, and Avison took over as president.

[edit] Under Japanese Rule(I) (1917 - 1936)

On August 22, 1910, Korea was annexed by Japan with the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty. The first Governor-General of Korea, Terauchi Masatake, introduced Ordinance on Chosun Education (조선교육령) in 1911, and subsequently Regulations on Professional Schools (전문학교 규칙) and Revised Regulations on Private Schools (개정사립학교 규칙) in March, 1915. These were intended to stifle private education in Korea; any establishment of schools, any change in school regulations, location, its purpose, coursework or textbooks must all be reported to and authorized by the governor-general, and all courses must be in Japanese. Severance Union College struggled to meet these requirements; school regulations and coursework were altered, faculty evaluated and enlarged, its foundation and its board clarified. It received its recognition as a professional medical school on May 14, 1917[2]. In 1922 the governor-general Makoto Saito issued Revised Ordinance on Chosun Education (개정조선교육령). It called for more strict qualification of the faculty, and Severance reacted obediently and further recruited more members with degrees from credited institutions in North America and Europe. Japan did not completely ignore the competence of this institution; in 1923 Severance recovered its right to give medical license to its graduates without state examination, a right which had been lost since 1912. Moreover in March, 1934, Japanese Ministry of Education and Culture further recognized Severance in allowing its graduates the right to practice medicine anywhere within Japanese sovereignty.

Oh Geung Seon (吳兢善) became the first Korean president of Severance in 1934.

Ordinances in 1915 and 1922 also affected the fate of Chosun Christian College. First intended as a college, it was not legally recognized as such, since the Ordinance (1915) did not allow the establishment of Korean private colleges. Hence Chosun Christian College, now renamed Yonhi College, was formally accepted only as a professional school on April 17, 1917, then a joint project from diverse missionary denominations. However, Yonhi in reality had formed the organization and faculty becoming a university; it consisted 6 departments: humanities, agriculture, commerce, theology (this department did not open due to the differences among the founding denominations), mathematics & physics, and applied chemistry. The ordinances, furthermore, prohibited coursework in Korean history, its geography, or in Bible outside the department of theology; council of missionaries reacted with A Resolution on the Revised Educational Ordinance (개정교육령에 관한 결의문)[3] which carefully pointed out that Japan did not apply such rigorous absurdities to its private schools in mainland Japan.

After March First Independence Movement swept the peninsula in 1919, Japan somewhat relaxed its grip on Korea, and this is reflected in the Ordinance (1922). It ceased the arbitrary control of governor-general over the coursework and the qualification of faculty members, and altered its stance on strict separation of religion from all education. It also recognized Yonhi as a professional school equal to its counterparts in Japan, and permitted the Christian programs and the Bible in its coursework. Nevertheless, Japanese literature became mandatory in turn.[4]Under Japanese intervention, Korean history was taught under the name Eastern History and Korean language was taught whenever possible. [5]

Department of agriculture was closed after 1922 when only its first graduates left Yonhi. There were efforts to revive this department, without much success. However, Yonhi installed a training center for agricultural leaders on campus, with impressive results.[6]

Yonhi was liberal in its admission of non-Christians. Its policy was to admit non-Christians relatively freely and allow the majority Christian students to gradually influence and assimilate them.

Both Severance and Yonhi were closely involved in independence movements. Many faculty members of Severance and Yonhi were directly involved in the March First Independence Movement, as were their students. Severance continued its contribution by printing The Independence in the basement of one of its buildings, and Yonhi was as active as any other school, so that by the end of the movement only 17 students were left. Yonhi students were active participants of Chosun Student Council for Scientific Research (조선학생과학연구회), which was one of the leading groups in the Mansei movement of June 10, 1926. Yonhi Student Council and many faculty members belonging to the clandestine Shin Gan Society (신간회 新幹會) gave full support to the Gwangju Student Movement; in the aftermath, students were apprehended, and Shin Gan Society was exposed. Later on, students actively participated in V Narod (브나로드) and Student Enlightenment Movement (학생계몽운동) during 1929 - 1930.

[edit] Under Japanese Rule(II): The War Machine (1937 - 1945)

In the late 1930s, Japan again shifted its policy towards Korea in order to incorporate it to its scheme of expansionism. In August, 1936, the new Japanese Governor-General Jirō Minami began the assimilation of Koreans, in order to exploit them for military purposes; Governor-General enforced Sōshi-kaimei and Shintoism on Koreans, and began to recruit Koreans for Japanese war efforts. In April,1938 the third Ordinance on Chosun Education ordered the acceptance of Shintoism, voluntary removal of Korean language in coursework and further intensification of Japanese and Japanese history education. However, Yonhi Professional School did not follow suit and opened courses on the study of Korean language in November, 1938. This was not tolerated for long and in March, 1940, Yonhi was forced to open courses on Japanese studies for each department and each year. From 1938, English also began to come under pressure following a deterioration of relations between Japan and United States; coursework in English was forbidden and texts of English writers were censored. In 1938, President H.H. Underwood accepted the practice of Shintoism to avoid the fate of Yonhi's termination. Governors-General pushed Yonhi to refuse financial support from United States and financial difficulties amounted.
On individual level, Yonhi faculty members and its students were apprehended or investigated during this period for their involvement in real and alleged resistance movements.[7]
In 1939, the United States government recalled all its citizens and missionaries in Korea; Underwood and some of the faculty refused to leave Korea until forced to in 1941-1942 following the outbreak of the pacific war. Japanese military officers were dispatched in Yonhi for military training of its students in 1940 and forced labor began in 1941. Scientific equipments, building parts, and even the Underwood statue were seized then the school yard was turned into drill ground. On August 17, 1942, the board was dismissed and Yonhi was designated as enemy property, and thus was appropriated and further managed directly by an appointee from the Governors-General. Yonhi ceased to be a place of education and was converted into a tool for assimilation of Koreans and exploitation of manpower. By October, 1943, students were practically being conscripted. In 1944 dormitories were converted into barracks and campus was occupied by the Japanese air force. Finally, on May 10, 1944, Governors-General closed Yonhi and replaced it with Kyungsung Industrial Management School (경성공업경영학교), the primary purpose of which was to train engineers required to continue the war.

Due to their value in the time of war, medical students of Severance were not a target of "voluntary recruitment," but Severance also faced Sōshi-kaimei, military training, and constant surveillance by the Japanese authorities. Severance was coerced into changing its name to Asahi(旭) in 1942.

[edit] Liberation and the Korean War (1946 - 1952)

Severance was now approved as a college by the liberated Korean government in 1947. Since the majority of medical institutions in Korea was run by the Japanese, medical staff and faculty were in short supply after their departure. Thus many members of Severance staff and faculty left Severance to assist other institutions. Severance also took up the role of student leadership, and was outspoken against US-Soviet occupation. In 1950, during the outbreak of the Korean War Severance functioned as a field hospital until Seoul was overrun. Severance fled hurriedly but some faculty members and students were unable to leave in time; some were killed and others were captured then exploited by the advancing North Koreans. Severance seniors joined the military as army surgeons. Although Severance returned to Seoul for a while after its recapture, it had to flee again in December on a LST in Incheon. When Severance arrived in Busan, its medical school joined the wartime college, a temporary body. Meanwhile, the Severance facility in Seoul received heavy damage, as it was located in the center of the city near the Seoul station. Severance Hospital again returned on April 1, 1952, and its medical college on June 12, 1952.

The US Military initially neglected the restitution Yonhi and held other plans to utilize it as a military hospital or judiciary training center. With time, nevertheless, Yonhi came to be viewed as a missionary institution that was dispossessed by the Governor-General. Yonhi was able to open its doors again on January 21, 1946 and on August 15, 1946, was recognized as a university. Baek Nak Jun became president. It was a period of transition, and Yonhi University faced numerous obstacles including financial ones; it was after 1947 that things settled down. At the time, Korea lacked teachers and Yonhi was asked to provide education and training; Temporary Training Center for Secondary School Teachers in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry (임시 수물화학과 중등교원양성소) was established. In December, 1948, plans for unification of Yonhi and Severance began to take form.[8] Graduate School was formed in July, 1950.
It was at this point that all progress came to a halt due to the Korean War. The university suspended all courses on June 27 and recruited student soldiers. The North Korean military advanced into Yonhi campus and established its headquarters there. This was a cause of severe damage to the campus when the US military recaptured Seoul in September. The university reopened following the recapture of Seoul, but it was once more on the run to Busan in December. On February, 1951, Yonhi joined the wartime college; however, Yonhi kept an independent body and opened its own courses on October 3, 1951. On April 15, 1953 Yonhi began its work on restoration; Yonhi returned to its campus in the fall.

[edit] 1953 - 1959

In 1957, Severance Medical College and Hospital and Yonhi University merged to form Yonsei University. Today, Yonsei operates its main campus in Seoul and a satellite campus in Wonju, Gangwon Province.

Sources: The sections Beginnings, Under Japanese Rule(I), Under Japanese Rule(II): The War Machine, Liberation and the Korean War are largely based on 연세대학교백년사 100 Years of Yonsei University History, Yonsei University Press.

[edit] Reputation

Yonsei University belongs to a group of three highly selective universities in Korea regarded for decades as the country's three top schools: Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University. These three universities are often collectively abbreviated as SKY, from the first letter of each school.

Yonsei University operates the Underwood International College (UIC), a four-year program of classes taught exclusively in English. By providing generous scholarships and high pay, the UIC has attracted top students and faculty members from around the world, making it an "academic landmark in Asia" according to Newsweek International.[9]

Yonsei University is also the home of the most reputable Korean language institute in Korea. Yonsei KLI caters to students studying Korean from all parts of the world with beginning classes taught in various languages.

Yonsei University was ranked 203-304th overall in the 2007 Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 271th overall in the 2007 Taiwan Ministry of Education Science Research Article Evaluation, and 236th overall in 2007 The Times Higher Education Supplement Survey. [10][11][12]

[edit] University shield

The "ㅇ" and "ㅅ" in the University shield are derived from the first letters of each syllable in "연세"(Yonsei). The circle "ㅇ" represents the ideal of a complete and well-rounded person, while the "ㅅ" symbolizes the upward-looking striving for scholarly excellence. In addition, the "ㅇ" stands for Heaven(天), the "ㅡ" represents the horizon of the Earth(地), and "ㅅ" signifies Man(人) as expressed in the Chinese character. The open book stands for Truth, the torchlight signifies Freedom, and the shield protects these two core principles of the University.


[edit] Yonsei Songdo Global Academic Complex

Originally agreed to on May 8,2006 between the city of Incheon and Yonsei University, the Yonsei Songdo Global Academic Complex will be an anchor of the R&D aspect of the Songdo area and bolster the Korean education and research industries. Construction will be in two phases with the first phase including the Global Campus, Joint University Campus, R&D Campus, and the Global Academic Village. Phase one is expected to be complete in 2010 allowing phase two to begin the next year in 2011 with further expansion.[13]

The Joint University Campus aspect of the project is expected to be either an overseas campus of a major foreign research university or a joint campus created and managed between such a university and Yonsei University. This joint campus will be integrated and fully compatible with the Yonsei University program.[14]

[edit] See also

[edit] Notable Alumni

  • Literature & Arts
    • Yun Tong-ju: Poet
    • Jung Jyun-Jong: Poet
    • Gi Hyung-Do: Poet
    • Ma Gwang-so: Writer
    • Gong, Ji-Young: Writer
    • Cha, Beom-Seok: Playwright and director
    • Choi In-ho: Writer
  • Politics and Government and Public Service
    • Kim, Hak-Su: UN Under-Secretary-General
    • Kang, Young Woo: Member Natl Council On Disability Status
    • Han Seung-soo: President of Fifty-Sixth United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister
    • Kim, Woo Sik: Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Ministry of Science and Technology
    • Yun, Kwan: Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Korea, Prime Minister
    • Ahn Byung-Young: Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Ministry of Educatoin
    • Yoon Hye-Ran: Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient
  • Academics
  • Sports and Entertainment
    • Bong Joon-ho, Movie Director, The Host
    • Hu, Jung Moo: Former coach of Korean National Soccer team
    • Im, Sung Hoon: Popular show host
    • Kim, Dong Ryul: Former member of 'Exhibition'
    • Park Jin-Young: Singer, songwriter, CEO of JYP Entertainment
    • Yoon, Jong Shin: A pop singer, debut album 'In the Empty Street'
    • Sweet Sorrow: A pop singing group, debut album 'Sweet Sorrow', winner of 2004 Yu Jaeha Music Contest
    • Ji-Yai Shin: Professional Golfer: 2007 KPGA Golfer of the Year
    • Chun Lee-Kyung: Four-time Olympic Gold Medalist in Short Track Skating & Member of the International Olympic Committee Athletes' Commission
    • Na Woon-gyu: Father of Korean Cinema; actor, screenwriter and director

[edit] References

  1. ^ History of Yonsei. Retrieved on 2007-07-10.
  2. ^ Oshima (大島正健) was a Japanese Severance faculty member teaching ethics who made considerable contributions to this outcome. See Severance Bulletin No.12, 1929, S.U.M.C Catalogue 1917-18
  3. ^ H.H. Underwood, Modern Education in Korea, p.202
  4. ^ The Ordinance (1922) was commonly viewed to have an ulterior political motive, not as genuine effort to improve education. 동아일보사설 Donga Daily Editorial, February 10, 1922.
  5. ^ Faculty members that include Choi Hyun Bae, Lee Yun Jae, Jung In Seo, Yu Eok Kyum, and Baek Nak Jun contributed to this end.
  6. ^ 연세대학교백년사 One Hundred Years of Yonsei University History, Yonsei University Press, p.183
  7. ^ 백낙준, 이묘묵, 하경덕, 갈홍기, 조병옥, 김윤경, 이용설 and others in June, 1937; Three students and 이순탁, 백남운, 노동규 apprehended and 60 Yonhi alumni investigated in October, 1937; 유억겸, 이춘호, 최현배 in September, 1938; student study group members 임종배, 김창식, 김규상 in October, 1937 and 이순복, 김삼불, 송몽규 in 1938; 최현배 and others resigned after apprehension of linguists in 1942
  8. ^ This originally included Ewha University. Ewha University fell out asserting its independent goal in education of women.
  9. ^ Lee, B.J. (2007 February 26). English Orated Here. Newsweek International. Retrieved on 2008 February 20.
  10. ^ THES - QS World University Rankings 2007 - Top 400 Universities. Quacquarelli Symonds. Retrieved on 2008 March 7.
  11. ^ 2007 Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities. Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation Council of Taiwan. Retrieved on 2008 March 7.
  12. ^ Top 500 World Universities (203-304). Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Retrieved on 2008 March 7.
  13. ^ What is Yeonsei SGAC?
  14. ^ Chief Features of SGAC, Joint University Campus

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 37°33′59″N 126°56′20″E / 37.566398, 126.938803 (Yonsei University)

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Wonju Campus Language Instititute http://ysli.com)