Kookmin University (President Jeong Seung Ryul) held a ceremony commemorating its 80th anniversary on Friday, October 16, at 11:00 a.m. in the Academic Conference Hall of the Administration Building. Approximately 300 people attended the event, including President Jeong Seung Ryul, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other distinguished guests from both inside and outside the university. Together, they reflected on the past 80 years of history and shared a vision for the university’s development as it moves toward its next 100 years.
 
Founded in 1946 on the principles of community spirit, Kookmin University has continued to evolve by incorporating pragmatism and entrepreneurial spirit since 1959, when Mr. Kim Seong-gon of Seonggok acquired Kookmin Academy. Since then, the university has built a competitive edge in the fields of design and automotive engineering by establishing Korea’s first College of Art and Design and College of Automotive Convergence. More recently, it has been expanding its educational and research scope into future-oriented high-tech industries such as quantum technology, AI, and biotechnology.

△ Photo: Kookmin University’s 80th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony

The commemorative ceremony also featured video content created using AI technology. The presentation on the university’s 80-year history took the form of an AI-generated video that guided viewers through historical photographs displayed in the art museum. The report on the 10 major projects commemorating the 80th anniversary was also produced as an AI video, highlighting key commemorative events ranging from last year’s Quantum Campus Proclamation Ceremony and Vision Declaration Ceremony to this year’s development of a custom typeface and the 80th Anniversary Open Concert.
 
In his commemorative address, President Jeong Seung Ryul stated, “Eighty years ago, the founders of Kookmin University established the institution for the sake of the nation’s future, and Mr. Seonggok ensured that Kookmin University could embark on a new path of development based on entrepreneurship and pragmatism,” adding He presented the vision for Kookmin University as it moves toward its next 100 years: “A university that pioneers paths others have not taken; a university that solves societal problems with new technologies and knowledge; a university where talented individuals from around the world aspire to learn and conduct research together; and a university that fulfills its responsibility to future generations.” He continued, “Let us take pride in our 80-year history and turn the next 100 years into our challenge,” urging the university community to actively participate and embrace new challenges.
 
During the ceremony, awards were presented in various categories—including Professor of the Year, Outstanding Thesis, Staff of the Year, Industry-Academia Collaboration, and Alumni Achievement Awards, as well as Special Achievement Awards, Kookmin Talent Awards, and Kookmin Service Awards—to honor the contributions of members who have contributed to the university’s development.
 
Last year, at its 79th anniversary ceremony, Kookmin University announced its mid- to long-term development plan, “KMU VISION 2035: EDGE,” and presented its vision of being “a university that sets the standard for higher education” along with the slogan “Make the Rule, Break the Rule.” Based on this, the university has adopted entrepreneurship, digital transformation, global competence, and sustainable management as its core values, and is focusing on fostering eight specialized fields that encompass both existing areas of strength—such as design and mobility—and future cutting-edge industries like quantum technology, AI, and biotechnology.
 
In the field of education, the university is working to build a “borderless educational ecosystem” that expands students’ freedom to choose their majors and breaks down barriers between disciplines. Along with improvements to the major selection and transfer systems, it operates various educational programs—such as the “Omega (Ω) School” and the “Alpha Project”—to strengthen students’ career exploration and field-oriented education.
 
Meanwhile, to mark its 80th anniversary, Kookmin University is hosting “KMU PRIDE WEEK,” a week-long celebration involving the entire university community, featuring a variety of cultural and artistic events. A photo exhibition reflecting on the university’s 80-year history is on display in the lobby of the Administration Building, and the College of Fine Arts held an art fair in the area surrounding the Art Hall from October 12 to 15. Following this, on the 19th, a concert commemorating the university’s 80th anniversary will be held at Lotte Concert Hall, featuring faculty, alumni, and current students from the Department of Music. From the 20th to the 21st, the Department of Dance will present “K*-MOVE 80” at the Grand Theater and the athletic field.

Full Text of President Jeong Seung Ryul’s Commemorative Address on the 80th Anniversary of the University’s Founding
 
Respected members of the Kookmin University community, and distinguished guests from home and abroad who have graced us with your presence on this meaningful occasion!
 
Kookmin University, which began with a fervent hope for the future of the Republic of Korea, has now reached its 80th anniversary. Today, rather than simply commemorating the university’s history, I would like us to reflect together on where we started, what we have upheld, and where we should head in the future.
 
Kookmin University’s Unwavering Roots and Entrepreneurial Spirit
In 1946, shortly after liberation, at a time when even the nation’s future was uncertain, key figures of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea—led by Haegong Shin Ik-hee—founded Kookmin University to cultivate talent capable of leading the new nation. The university they envisioned was not merely an educational institution for imparting knowledge, but one that would nurture individuals capable of taking responsibility for the future of the new nation, dedicating themselves to society and the community, and contributing their abilities to the nation’s development.
  
In 1959, Mr. Kim Seong-gon (Seonggok) took over the university, marking the most significant turning point in Kookmin University’s history. While the founding figures, led by Haegong, laid the spiritual foundation of “education for the community” at Kookmin University, Mr. Seonggok added the spirit of entrepreneurship to this foundation. Mr. Seonggok’s entrepreneurial spirit bequeathed three important values to Kookmin University.
 
First is the spirit of pragmatism. Pragmatism means applying acquired knowledge to solve real-world problems, creating new value, and making a tangible contribution to society. Going beyond the mere accumulation of knowledge to connect it to the real world—this is the very essence of the pragmatic education that Kookmin University has pursued.
 
Second is the spirit of challenge. As Mr. Seonggok’s life demonstrates, we do not embark on a challenge simply because success is guaranteed. New paths open up because we believe in the possibilities and take action first. Kookmin University has achieved its current level of development precisely because it has never been content to rest on its laurels but has constantly sought new paths.
 
Third is the “First & Only” spirit. “First” embodies the spirit of a pioneer who blazes trails where others have not gone before. “Only” embodies the spirit of differentiation—creating unique value that only Kookmin University can provide, rather than merely imitating other universities. If “First” represents the courage to open new paths, “Only” represents the ability to build a competitive edge on those paths that cannot be easily replicated by others. Our university’s numerous “first” or “only” departments, colleges, and programs all stem from this “First & Only” spirit.
 
A Great Challenge with KMU Vision 2035 EDGE
Dear members of the Kookmin University family!
The next 20 years leading up to our 100th anniversary will be an era entirely different from the past 80 years. Artificial intelligence and digital technology are fundamentally changing the way knowledge is produced and delivered, raising new questions about the very nature of universities.
  
To address these challenges, our university’s new vision, KMU Vision 2035 EDGE, presents four development strategies: Entrepreneurship, Digital and AI Transformation, Global, and Sustainability through ESG. EDGE is not merely a development strategy; it is also a core principle designed to transform Kookmin University’s education, research, organizational culture, and overall operations, and to build Kookmin University’s unique competitive edge that sets it apart from other universities.
 
First, we must cultivate the entrepreneurial spirit of Professor Seong-gok as a core part of our university’s culture and competitive edge. Entrepreneurship is an attitude that involves identifying new problems, questioning existing practices, and creating new value even amid uncertainty. Every student at Kookmin University—regardless of their major—must grow into a talented individual equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit. To achieve this, we must create an educational environment where students can take on challenges without fear of failure. Students should be able to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to real-world settings in industry and the local community; collaborate across disciplines to bring new ideas to life; and explore new possibilities together with their professors. When every member of Kookmin University becomes an innovator who creates new value, entrepreneurship will become our university’s strongest competitive advantage.
 
Second, we must set new standards for education and research through AI and digital transformation. Advances in artificial intelligence are demanding fundamental changes in higher education. Kookmin University’s AI and digital transformation efforts must go beyond merely restructuring the curricula of select departments; they must be driven toward innovating the university’s entire education and research systems. Our goal is not simply to become a university that uses AI well. It is to become a university that breaks down the boundaries of existing disciplines through AI and leads the way in new approaches to education and research. This is another manifestation of the “First & Only” vision that Kookmin University must pursue in the era of digital transformation.
 
Third, we must make global competitiveness a new growth engine for the university. For Kookmin University to leap forward as a global university does not simply mean increasing the number of international students or signing numerous agreements with overseas universities. It means raising the standards of education and research to world-class levels, creating compelling reasons for international talent to choose Kookmin University, and generating tangible results through collaboration with leading global universities and companies. We must go beyond being a university that reaches out to the world; we must become a university that the world seeks out—and, furthermore, a university that creates new value together with the world. That is the essence of the global competitiveness Kookmin University pursues.
 
Fourth, we must establish sustainability as the university’s future value and competitive edge. The sustainability of a university means possessing the capacity to continuously create value that society and industry need, while fulfilling our responsibility to future generations. Sustainability does not stem from maintaining the scale of the past, but from constantly creating reasons why our university will remain indispensable in the future. In this sense, I believe sustainability is a crucial value that connects our university’s founding spirit of communal responsibility and the pragmatic spirit of Professor Seong-gok to the future.
 
The four core values I have just mentioned are not separate strategies. Entrepreneurship is the driving force that enables us to discover new opportunities and take on challenges. AI and digital transformation are the forces that turn those challenges into innovation. Global outreach is the force that expands the value we create to the world. And sustainability is the force that ensures that innovation and achievements are passed on to future generations. A university that takes on challenges through entrepreneurship, innovates through AI, expands globally, and takes responsibility for the future through sustainability. I believe this is what Kookmin University should look like as it moves toward its next 100 years.
 
Beyond 80 Years of Pride, Toward a Great Future Spanning 100 Years
Eighty years ago, the founders of Kookmin University established the institution for the sake of the nation’s future. And Mr. Seonggok laid the groundwork for Kookmin University to embark on a new path of development based on entrepreneurship and pragmatism. Now, as we inherit that historic mission, a new responsibility has been entrusted to us. That responsibility is this: what kind of Kookmin University will we pass on to our students 20 years from now, when we celebrate our 100th anniversary?
A university that pioneers paths others have not taken; a university that solves societal problems with new technologies and knowledge; a university where talented individuals from around the world want to learn and conduct research together; and a university that fulfills its responsibility to future generations. We must build Kookmin University into this kind of institution. To achieve this, we need the challenges and dedication of us all.
 
Dear members of the Kookmin University family!
If the past 80 years were a time that proved Kookmin University’s potential, the next 20 years must be a time to transform that potential into world-class competitiveness.
Let us take pride in our 80-year history and make the next 100 years our challenge.
Kookmin University’s new century begins today, with the efforts of us all.
Thank you.