Four Preliminary Candidates Confirmed for Next Seoul National University President

Lee Jaeyoung, Kim Hyuncheol, Choi Haecheon, and Kang Junho Selected

Four preliminary candidates have been selected for the next president of Seoul National University. Incumbent President Yoo Honglim, who was seeking reappointment, was not included among them.

On September 9, the Seoul National University Presidential Nomination Committee announced that it had held a meeting and confirmed four preliminary candidates after evaluating the specificity and feasibility of development plans submitted by 12 applicants for the presidency.

Photo of Seoul National University main gate. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The four preliminary candidates are Lee Jaeyoung, Professor at the College of Humanities; Kim Hyuncheol, Professor at the Graduate School of International Studies; Choi Haecheon, Professor at the College of Engineering; and Kang Junho, Professor at the College of Education.

Seoul National University revised its bylaws in 2023 to allow the sitting president to seek reappointment without resigning. However, President Yoo did not make it into the final four in this round of selection.

The four preliminary candidates are scheduled to present their plans for university operations, vision, and pledges at public presentations to be held on September 17 at Yeongeon Campus and September 22 at Gwanak Campus. Following this, three candidates will be recommended to the Seoul National University board of directors on October 14, after being evaluated by a policy evaluation panel consisting of faculty and staff, affiliated school teachers, and pre-registered students on October 7.

The board is expected to select one finalist by the end of October. The new president will succeed President Yoo and begin a four-year term starting February next year.

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