Mokpo and Suncheon Universities Accelerate Integration... Jeonnam Lawmakers Propose "National Kim Daejung University" as Name

"A National Project to Shape Jeonnam's Next 100 Years"
Local Community Pays Close Attention

On December 9, members of the National Assembly from the Jeonnam region held a press conference at the National Assembly Communication Center and officially proposed "National Kim Daejung University" as the name for the integrated university of National Mokpo University and National Suncheon University.

As the Ministry of Education is positively considering the "federation-type integration" (a loose integration) requested by both universities, discussions on the integration are gaining momentum, and debates over the name of the integrated university are also intensifying.

Members of the National Assembly from the Jeonnam region held a press conference and officially proposed "National Kim Daejung University" as the name for the integrated university of National Mokpo University and National Suncheon University. Photo by Kim Moonsu's Office

Recently, it has been reported that within the Ministry of Education, there is even discussion of appointing an integrated president at the campus where the university headquarters will be located, while assigning "campus presidents" to the other campuses. As the integration model becomes increasingly concrete, the issue of the university name has moved into the political arena, with lawmakers now directly involved.

The two universities are similar in size. As of April 2024, Suncheon University has a student quota of 6,554 and Mokpo University has 6,194. The actual number of enrolled students is also similar, with 6,386 at Suncheon University and 5,747 at Mokpo University.

Given that each university serves as a regional hub in the eastern and western parts of the province, respectively, there has been a prevailing view that an absorption-type integration centered on either side would be unrealistic. In the local education community, there are also predictions that a federation-type integration, which can minimize controversy over status differences between campuses, could be a reasonable compromise.

With the Ministry of Education shifting away from its previously cautious stance during the National Assembly audit and opening up the possibility of a federation-type integration, the integration discussions have rapidly accelerated. Although the National Assembly is speeding up discussions on enacting a special law related to the integration, detailed issues such as the method for selecting campus presidents remain unresolved.

However, there is widespread optimism in the local community that, under the shared goal of establishing a national medical school, these issues are within a range that can be sufficiently coordinated.

Against this backdrop, the name proposed by Jeonnam region lawmakers for the integrated university is "National Kim Daejung University." The lawmakers emphasized that "as a native of Jeonnam and an icon of democracy, human rights, peace, and unity, as well as a pioneer of the IT era, President Kim Daejung's symbolic significance can most clearly embody the identity and future strategy of the integrated national university."

The lawmakers cited several reasons: alignment with Jeonnam's history and identity; brand value with international competitiveness; integrated symbolism encompassing the entire Jeonnam region beyond Mokpo and Suncheon; and President Kim Daejung's forward-looking vision in laying the foundation for the AI and digital era.

They also strengthened their case by mentioning examples of major universities around the world-such as George Washington University, George Mason University, and James Madison University-that are named after national leaders.

The Jeonnam lawmakers stated, "The integrated national university in Jeonnam is not simply a university merger, but a national project to shape the region's next 100 years," adding, "With the government and local community accelerating efforts to open the university by 2026, the National Assembly will also provide full support."

The name of the integrated university will be officially determined through a process of gathering opinions from both universities' members and a public contest. There is growing local interest in whether "National Kim Daejung University" will ultimately be chosen as the final name.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.