Seoul National University (SNU) is facing multiple challenges, including stagnation in global university rankings, fierce competition from rival institutions, and a high dependency on government funding that has accumulated over 15 years since its transition to a corporate structure in 2011. As the university approaches its centennial in 2046, the race for the 29th president has officially begun.
The first public presentation, organized by the SNU Presidential Recommendation Committee, took place on September 17 from 2 PM to 5 PM at the College of Medicine auditorium on Yeonkeun Campus. This event served as a platform for candidates to diagnose the current state of SNU and propose improvement strategies.
The four candidates—Kang Jun-ho, Choi Hae-cheon, Lee Jae-young, and Kim Hyun-chul—each presented their prepared pledges and engaged in a Q&A session, showcasing their distinct strategies and visions.
[Kang Jun-ho] "I Will Open an Era of 300 Million Won Salaries for Professors"—Emphasizing Managerial Leadership and Financial Independence Kang Jun-ho, a professor in the Department of Physical Education, opened the presentations by posing a fundamental question: "Is SNU truly living up to its potential?" He diagnosed that SNU is facing stagnation in global rankings and intense competition from Korea University and Yonsei University. Despite 15 years of corporate status, he noted a high dependency on government funding, outdated practices, and a mismatch between performance and rewards. To address these issues, he proposed a strong managerial leadership approach that emphasizes practical value creation.
Kang identified the urgent need for significant improvements in faculty compensation as a top priority. According to a survey by the SNU Faculty Council, faculty salaries rank 10th among top universities in Seoul, with starting salaries around 70 million won. He highlighted that a recent survey indicated that increasing salaries should be the next president's top priority.
Kang stated, "Relying on donations and government funding has become a false promise. I will establish a reasonable compensation standard of 300 million won for SNU professors and design the budget in reverse to open the '300 million won salary era.'"
During the Q&A, questions focused on the recurring structure of personnel expenses and funding possibilities. Kang explained that the total personnel expenses for 2,080 faculty members amount to about 300 billion won, averaging less than 130 million won per person. He proposed a two-step roadmap: first, raising the average salary for full professors to 200 million won, which would increase total personnel expenses to approximately 450 billion won, requiring an additional 100 billion won in funding, which he plans to cover through optimizing existing budget allocations. The second step would involve raising salaries from 200 million won to 300 million won, which would require an additional 800 billion won, targeting only those faculty members who have demonstrated global leading research achievements.
[Choi Hae-cheon] Engineering Scholar's 'Hyperconnected Partnership'—Ambiguous Responses Leave Questions Choi Hae-cheon, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, emphasized the need for a research-oriented president, stating, "The university's mission is to ask questions first and create answers." He diagnosed that while SNU is approaching its 100th anniversary, rigid evaluation, administration, and regulations are stifling talent. He pointed out that SNU's autonomous funding, including a development fund of about 760 billion won, is significantly lacking compared to world-class universities.
Choi highlighted his strengths as an engineer who has conducted world-class research and has experience innovating internal and external systems. His key pledge includes securing 2 trillion won in new funding and strategic resources over four years through the 'SNU Megafrontier Partners' initiative, which aims to provide future visions to businesses and solutions to national challenges. He promised to establish a self-sustaining financial base through various funding sources, including a significant increase in seed money for new faculty and expanding named professorships.
However, during the Q&A, he did not provide specific execution plans or roadmaps. When asked about expanding dual appointments for medical and dental faculty, he stated, "It's important to gather opinions from the deans of the colleges," and offered vague responses regarding the nursing college's status and relocation plans.
[Lee Jae-young] 'Proven and Prepared COO'—Execution Power at the Forefront: "New 4 Trillion Won Funding, Achieving 10 Trillion Won in Assets" After a 15-minute break, Lee Jae-young, a professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, presented third. He asserted the need for a president who is a ready Chief Operating Officer (COO) capable of executing visions. Lee pointed out that 55-58% of SNU's total revenue relies on taxpayer money, and the university's asset size is only 7% of Harvard's. He also noted that the percentage of SNU alumni among CEOs of the top 1,000 companies has dropped to 21.3%.
Lee emphasized his extensive administrative experience, having served in various key positions within the university and as a leader in communication during the corporate transition. He presented his vision of a '100-10-1 Vision' that includes a commitment to becoming a top 10 global university, expanding assets to 10 trillion won, and transitioning to an AI-based system.
During the Q&A, questions focused on his plans for securing the new 4 trillion won and achieving the 10 trillion won asset goal. Lee proposed a diversified funding portfolio that includes business revenue, asset management, public funding, and private donations. He specifically mentioned a campaign targeting 40,000 alumni, or 10% of the 400,000 alumni, to raise 1 trillion won, and plans to secure 500 billion won in research donations during his term by linking research capabilities with the top 1,000 companies.
He also pointed out the potential for generating at least 300 billion won in annual business revenue by establishing a joint subsidiary between the hospital and the SNU development foundation, citing the success of Severance Hospital as a model.
[Kim Hyun-chul] No Campaign Team—'Responsible Management and Governance Reform': "Establishing a Higher Organization for SNU Law and Hospital Corporations" Kim Hyun-chul, a professor in the International Studies Department, concluded the presentations by stating, "Innovation starts from the periphery," indicating a desire to present a different approach from traditional campus politics. He criticized the repeated failures of past presidential candidates to fulfill their pledges, which he argued have deepened distrust and damaged organizational culture.
Targeting the ambitious pledges of other candidates, such as 300 million won salaries and 2 trillion won funds, Kim described them as a "competition of unrealistic promises aiming for divine positions." He highlighted his experience as an economic advisor to the Blue House and his role in leading management innovation at Samsung Electronics as strengths.
Kim emphasized that he would not form a campaign team, which he believes fosters a culture of favoritism, and instead prioritize 'delegating authority and responsible management.' He pledged to make his schedule and expenses transparent, declare his intention not to run for public office, and report his performance to the university community annually. He also proposed streamlining the bloated administrative structure into a '3S' (Slim, Speedy, Smart) organization and reducing the number of vice presidents while increasing the operating budget for colleges in the first year.
During the Q&A, Kim's governance reform proposal received significant attention. He proposed establishing a higher organization that encompasses both the SNU corporate body and the SNU hospital corporation, pledging to pursue legal amendments to achieve this. He criticized the lack of leadership during discussions about the hospital's transfer to the Ministry of Health and conflicts with the medical community, arguing that a higher organization could have prevented unilateral decisions by the hospital.
Kim emphasized that this higher organization would oversee the hospital's board restructuring, innovate the selection process for hospital directors, appoint clinical professors as presidents, and manage comprehensive development plans for Yeonkeun Campus in a streamlined manner. He also proposed a realistic approach to finances, aiming for an additional 1 trillion won over four years through a 250 billion won annual increase in government funding and 700 billion won in development funds, along with expanded operational and industry-academic research funding.
[Common Issues] Crisis at Yeonkeun Campus—Addressing Poor Educational and Research Environments and Dental School Enrollment The first public presentation took place at Yeonkeun Campus, where the candidates addressed the chronic issues of space and research infrastructure shortages, as well as the need for reform in the dental school enrollment system. Regarding the restoration of the dental school's enrollment cap of 45 students, Kang Jun-ho stated that recovering the enrollment would require amending the Ministry of Education's enforcement decree and negotiating with other colleges. He pledged to lead negotiations with the government and other colleges if an internal agreement is reached.
Lee Jae-young noted that there had been historical allocations of 10 students each from the College of Humanities, College of Social Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, and 5 from the College of Business, emphasizing the need for decisive action rather than leaving it to zero-sum battles between colleges. He promised to be a COO president who would facilitate negotiations with the government for integrated operations of undergraduate and graduate programs.
In contrast, Choi Hae-cheon expressed a general stance that restoring the six-year dental program would be desirable and that he would work hard to persuade the government. Kim Hyun-chul argued that under a system dominated by campaign-affiliated appointees, it would be impossible to adjust enrollment due to vested interests, asserting that a president without a campaign team would persuade colleges directly through collective intelligence from the newly established higher organization.
The candidates also presented differing views on the poor educational and research environments at Yeonkeun Campus. Kang Jun-ho expressed disappointment over the missed opportunity for a significant deal on the Yongsan Railway Bureau site, proposing to gradually acquire surrounding buildings and establish a biomedical cluster connecting Yeonkeun, Gwanak, and Siheung campuses. Choi Hae-cheon stated he would fully support any decisions made by the members regarding expansion of surrounding areas.
Lee Jae-young promised to establish a 'Future Space Strategy Committee' led by the administration to mediate space conflicts among the nursing, medical, and dental colleges and prevent chaotic development by considering the utilization of nearby Korea National Open University spaces. Kim Hyun-chul emphasized a long-term comprehensive campus master plan connecting Gwanak and Yeonkeun campuses, stating that he would directly address administrative regulations and height restrictions to provide basic, AI, and integrated research spaces and shared offices for Yeonkeun researchers within the Gwanak campus.
The first public presentation, organized by the SNU Presidential Recommendation Committee, took place on September 17 from 2 PM to 5 PM at the College of Medicine auditorium on Yeonkeun Campus. This event served as a platform for candidates to diagnose the current state of SNU and propose improvement strategies.
The four candidates—Kang Jun-ho, Choi Hae-cheon, Lee Jae-young, and Kim Hyun-chul—each presented their prepared pledges and engaged in a Q&A session, showcasing their distinct strategies and visions.
[Kang Jun-ho] "I Will Open an Era of 300 Million Won Salaries for Professors"—Emphasizing Managerial Leadership and Financial Independence Kang Jun-ho, a professor in the Department of Physical Education, opened the presentations by posing a fundamental question: "Is SNU truly living up to its potential?" He diagnosed that SNU is facing stagnation in global rankings and intense competition from Korea University and Yonsei University. Despite 15 years of corporate status, he noted a high dependency on government funding, outdated practices, and a mismatch between performance and rewards. To address these issues, he proposed a strong managerial leadership approach that emphasizes practical value creation.
Kang identified the urgent need for significant improvements in faculty compensation as a top priority. According to a survey by the SNU Faculty Council, faculty salaries rank 10th among top universities in Seoul, with starting salaries around 70 million won. He highlighted that a recent survey indicated that increasing salaries should be the next president's top priority.
Kang stated, "Relying on donations and government funding has become a false promise. I will establish a reasonable compensation standard of 300 million won for SNU professors and design the budget in reverse to open the '300 million won salary era.'"
During the Q&A, questions focused on the recurring structure of personnel expenses and funding possibilities. Kang explained that the total personnel expenses for 2,080 faculty members amount to about 300 billion won, averaging less than 130 million won per person. He proposed a two-step roadmap: first, raising the average salary for full professors to 200 million won, which would increase total personnel expenses to approximately 450 billion won, requiring an additional 100 billion won in funding, which he plans to cover through optimizing existing budget allocations. The second step would involve raising salaries from 200 million won to 300 million won, which would require an additional 800 billion won, targeting only those faculty members who have demonstrated global leading research achievements.
[Choi Hae-cheon] Engineering Scholar's 'Hyperconnected Partnership'—Ambiguous Responses Leave Questions Choi Hae-cheon, a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, emphasized the need for a research-oriented president, stating, "The university's mission is to ask questions first and create answers." He diagnosed that while SNU is approaching its 100th anniversary, rigid evaluation, administration, and regulations are stifling talent. He pointed out that SNU's autonomous funding, including a development fund of about 760 billion won, is significantly lacking compared to world-class universities.
Choi highlighted his strengths as an engineer who has conducted world-class research and has experience innovating internal and external systems. His key pledge includes securing 2 trillion won in new funding and strategic resources over four years through the 'SNU Megafrontier Partners' initiative, which aims to provide future visions to businesses and solutions to national challenges. He promised to establish a self-sustaining financial base through various funding sources, including a significant increase in seed money for new faculty and expanding named professorships.
However, during the Q&A, he did not provide specific execution plans or roadmaps. When asked about expanding dual appointments for medical and dental faculty, he stated, "It's important to gather opinions from the deans of the colleges," and offered vague responses regarding the nursing college's status and relocation plans.
[Lee Jae-young] 'Proven and Prepared COO'—Execution Power at the Forefront: "New 4 Trillion Won Funding, Achieving 10 Trillion Won in Assets" After a 15-minute break, Lee Jae-young, a professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, presented third. He asserted the need for a president who is a ready Chief Operating Officer (COO) capable of executing visions. Lee pointed out that 55-58% of SNU's total revenue relies on taxpayer money, and the university's asset size is only 7% of Harvard's. He also noted that the percentage of SNU alumni among CEOs of the top 1,000 companies has dropped to 21.3%.
Lee emphasized his extensive administrative experience, having served in various key positions within the university and as a leader in communication during the corporate transition. He presented his vision of a '100-10-1 Vision' that includes a commitment to becoming a top 10 global university, expanding assets to 10 trillion won, and transitioning to an AI-based system.
During the Q&A, questions focused on his plans for securing the new 4 trillion won and achieving the 10 trillion won asset goal. Lee proposed a diversified funding portfolio that includes business revenue, asset management, public funding, and private donations. He specifically mentioned a campaign targeting 40,000 alumni, or 10% of the 400,000 alumni, to raise 1 trillion won, and plans to secure 500 billion won in research donations during his term by linking research capabilities with the top 1,000 companies.
He also pointed out the potential for generating at least 300 billion won in annual business revenue by establishing a joint subsidiary between the hospital and the SNU development foundation, citing the success of Severance Hospital as a model.
[Kim Hyun-chul] No Campaign Team—'Responsible Management and Governance Reform': "Establishing a Higher Organization for SNU Law and Hospital Corporations" Kim Hyun-chul, a professor in the International Studies Department, concluded the presentations by stating, "Innovation starts from the periphery," indicating a desire to present a different approach from traditional campus politics. He criticized the repeated failures of past presidential candidates to fulfill their pledges, which he argued have deepened distrust and damaged organizational culture.
Targeting the ambitious pledges of other candidates, such as 300 million won salaries and 2 trillion won funds, Kim described them as a "competition of unrealistic promises aiming for divine positions." He highlighted his experience as an economic advisor to the Blue House and his role in leading management innovation at Samsung Electronics as strengths.
Kim emphasized that he would not form a campaign team, which he believes fosters a culture of favoritism, and instead prioritize 'delegating authority and responsible management.' He pledged to make his schedule and expenses transparent, declare his intention not to run for public office, and report his performance to the university community annually. He also proposed streamlining the bloated administrative structure into a '3S' (Slim, Speedy, Smart) organization and reducing the number of vice presidents while increasing the operating budget for colleges in the first year.
During the Q&A, Kim's governance reform proposal received significant attention. He proposed establishing a higher organization that encompasses both the SNU corporate body and the SNU hospital corporation, pledging to pursue legal amendments to achieve this. He criticized the lack of leadership during discussions about the hospital's transfer to the Ministry of Health and conflicts with the medical community, arguing that a higher organization could have prevented unilateral decisions by the hospital.
Kim emphasized that this higher organization would oversee the hospital's board restructuring, innovate the selection process for hospital directors, appoint clinical professors as presidents, and manage comprehensive development plans for Yeonkeun Campus in a streamlined manner. He also proposed a realistic approach to finances, aiming for an additional 1 trillion won over four years through a 250 billion won annual increase in government funding and 700 billion won in development funds, along with expanded operational and industry-academic research funding.
[Common Issues] Crisis at Yeonkeun Campus—Addressing Poor Educational and Research Environments and Dental School Enrollment The first public presentation took place at Yeonkeun Campus, where the candidates addressed the chronic issues of space and research infrastructure shortages, as well as the need for reform in the dental school enrollment system. Regarding the restoration of the dental school's enrollment cap of 45 students, Kang Jun-ho stated that recovering the enrollment would require amending the Ministry of Education's enforcement decree and negotiating with other colleges. He pledged to lead negotiations with the government and other colleges if an internal agreement is reached.
Lee Jae-young noted that there had been historical allocations of 10 students each from the College of Humanities, College of Social Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, and 5 from the College of Business, emphasizing the need for decisive action rather than leaving it to zero-sum battles between colleges. He promised to be a COO president who would facilitate negotiations with the government for integrated operations of undergraduate and graduate programs.
In contrast, Choi Hae-cheon expressed a general stance that restoring the six-year dental program would be desirable and that he would work hard to persuade the government. Kim Hyun-chul argued that under a system dominated by campaign-affiliated appointees, it would be impossible to adjust enrollment due to vested interests, asserting that a president without a campaign team would persuade colleges directly through collective intelligence from the newly established higher organization.
The candidates also presented differing views on the poor educational and research environments at Yeonkeun Campus. Kang Jun-ho expressed disappointment over the missed opportunity for a significant deal on the Yongsan Railway Bureau site, proposing to gradually acquire surrounding buildings and establish a biomedical cluster connecting Yeonkeun, Gwanak, and Siheung campuses. Choi Hae-cheon stated he would fully support any decisions made by the members regarding expansion of surrounding areas.
Lee Jae-young promised to establish a 'Future Space Strategy Committee' led by the administration to mediate space conflicts among the nursing, medical, and dental colleges and prevent chaotic development by considering the utilization of nearby Korea National Open University spaces. Kim Hyun-chul emphasized a long-term comprehensive campus master plan connecting Gwanak and Yeonkeun campuses, stating that he would directly address administrative regulations and height restrictions to provide basic, AI, and integrated research spaces and shared offices for Yeonkeun researchers within the Gwanak campus.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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