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ON OCT. 1, 2019, Yonsei students gathered outside the Student Union Building in a public display of mourning. What was unusual about this event was that the students were not mourning for an actual person, but rather for the “death of the Spirit of Yonsei.” Attendants strongly opposed Yonsei University’s decision to relegate its newest course, “The Spirit of Yonsei and Human Rights,” from a required course to an elective. Despite its significance as the first comprehensive human rights course in Yonsei history, the new lecture has endured harsh criticism from a number of outside parties, inclu
Campus Issue
Ko Young-kyun, Park Jae-ha
2019.12.02 01:59
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IN A span of an hour, Professor Lew Seok-choon (Prof., Dept. of Sociology) spoke the words that quickly propelled him to an unexpected national infamy. On September 19, during a Development Sociology class, Professor Lew gave a lecture in which he claimed that “comfort women are a subset of prostitutes.” Later, when challenged on his view during the questioning period, he replied to the female student by asking back, much to the surprise of the students, if she would “give it a try [to find out for herself].” While the professor later attempted to absolve himself by insisting that he was refer
Wallposter
Ko Young-gyun
2019.11.02 23:19
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GENDER EQUALITY has been gaining mass attention as feminist movements reveal issues often hidden beneath the surface of Korean society. Despite being an economically developed nation, South Korea has often been criticized for repeated instances of gender inequality in the workplace, educational institutions, and households. However, the growth of feminism has increasingly empowered women to report incidents of sexual harassment and raised awareness of gender equality. Recently, the #MeToo movement exposed the prevalence of sexual misconduct, especially in the workplace and educational institut
Campus Insider
Nam Hyun-jin
2019.11.02 21:59
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FREEDOM AND time to explore are a few of the greatest expectations held by students for their college experiences. However, balancing between school, work, relationships, job prospects, and one’s personal interests has proven to be a difficult task for many university students. Overwhelmed by social expectations and a limited time frame, many students require more than the compulsory four years of university to fully prepare for graduation and go out into the world. As a result, South Korean university students are taking leaves of absence at an exponential rate, but often for reasons beyond p
Campus Issue
Nam Hyun-jin
2019.10.06 20:15
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LEARNING A new language can be stressful, as it forces learners out of their comfort zones. Yet, a remarkable event occurs in Yonsei University’s Amphitheater annually, where international students gather to compose poetry and prose in Korean. This Annual Korean Language Writing Contest for Foreign Nationals would not have been possible without the persistent effort of the Yonsei Korean Language Institute (KLI). With a special focus on Korean education, the KLI is at the forefronts of teaching all those who wish to gain a better understanding of the Korean language, culture and society. What i
Campus Insider
Park Jae-ha
2019.10.06 20:03
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“IF YOU have resided for more than six months in the Republic of Korea, you will be mandatorily subscribed to the National Health Insurance (NHI) of Korea from July 16, 2019.” This is an excerpt from the letter that the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), affiliated to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW), sent to all registered foreigners on May 15, 2019. This sudden notice affected all foreign nationals residing in Korea, including international students who have already been required to pay for insurance to their Korean universities. Though the government has been planning to imp
Campus Issue
Park Jae-ha
2019.09.04 00:30
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“CONGRATULATIONS, WE are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Yonsei University starting Spring Semester.” An acceptance letter holds special meanings for every newly-admitted college student, but especially for transfer students who have left the familiar confines of their previous university to strive for more prestigious education. With high hopes of starting anew, transfer students strive to be integrated into new environments and lifestyles. As a newly admitted transfer student myself, I have personally encountered the difficulties that result from the lack of awareness of
Wallposter
Nam Hyun-jin
2019.09.03 23:50
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“I’VE BEEN longing to study in Korea for years, and I finally got the opportunity to do it,” said Trinity Wood (Fresh., Global Basic Education Division), an American student who applied to study Korean Language and Literature at Yonsei University during the spring semester. Without her knowledge, however, she was suddenly placed under a completely different department called the Global Basic Education Division (GBED) and charged double the tuition fee that was specified in the admissions guidebook. Starting this semester, all incoming international students, like Wood, belong to GBED for their
Wallposter
Park Jae-ha
2019.06.02 23:57
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AFTER A schoolwide referendum on Jan. 7, 2019, the General Female Student Council (hereby the Female Council), was effectively abolished and a substituting organization, the Sexual Abuse Response Committee (hereby the Sexual Abuse Committee) was established. However, almost four months later now, the Sexual Abuse Committee is yet to be organized. Its absence left the students in confusion as they were not informed of the organization’s duties and responsibilities. To shed light on the situation, The Yonsei Annals interviewed various members of the Yonsei community to take a deeper look into th
Campus Issue
Park Jae-ha, Yang Ji-weon
2019.05.07 12:02
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“THE MORE I studied my course, the more I felt that I was less likely to be employed once I graduated,” said Hwang Jin-hyun, a Yonsei alumnus of the Department of Philosophy. Despite studying a subject often referred to as liberal arts, he currently has an office job at Seoul Metro. Even at a surface level, his career path does not reflect his studies. “Though I chose philosophy because I enjoyed it, I now regret that decision quite a bit.” Today, liberal arts students illustrate this dire situation with the phrase “sorry for majoring in liberal arts,” which is more popularly known as moon son
Wallposter
Park Jae-ha
2019.04.04 01:23
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“SINCE NOVEMBER, my life has been on standby...everything has been so unsure,” said Lecturer Lee*, a lecturer at Yonsei University in an interview with The Yonsei Annals. After teaching at Yonsei for more than ten years, she has been told that her job will not be guaranteed in the following semester. “I feel like I’m being punished. I’ve given my time and efforts to this school, but nobody seems to care,” lamented Lecturer Lee. Her story is not just of an individual, but of a group of lecturers. Ironically, the uncertainty they now face is all because of the Ministry of Education (MOE)’s newly
Campus Issue
Go Hyun-jin; Yang Ji-weon
2019.04.04 01:14
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HAVE YOU ever run into Yon-la-din, a second-hand book market, to buy your textbooks as cheap as possible? Or do you remember looking for a Facebook post to buy some tattoo stickers for Yonsei University’s annual Yon-ko games? Both of these services are provided by YStartups, a startup established by a group of Yonseians and one of the many student teams assisted by the Yonsei Enterprise Support Foundation (YESF). With a recognition of the students’ passion, innovation, and independence in the startup industry, the YESF is an accelerator for Yonseians’ venture businesses. From the initial stage
Campus Insider
Yang Ji-weon
2019.03.06 11:00
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THROUGHOUT THE millennia, universities have stood as bulwarks of higher learning. Yet often, this established nature engenders a rigid structure of bureaucracy and a limited set of curricula, leaving universities unable to adapt eclipsed by those willing to transform their learning environments. This has never been as apparent as in the current moment. The globalized, fast-changing society of the 21st century has generated vast and innovative changes in modern universities, forcing the best to make radical changes to maintain their rank. The essence of this movement lies in openness, sharing,
Campus Insider
Kim Min-seo
2018.12.02 18:44
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Bible Lunch Every Monday for YonseiansIn cooperation with Grace and Mercy Foundation Korea, College of Theology initiated “Monday Bible Lunch” on October 1 at the Theology Hall. Dean Kwon Soo-young created this program as a way to provide a welcoming and comfortable environment to Yonseians who wish to experience and understand the teachings of Christianity. The program utilizes the Grace and Mercy Foundation Korea’s Drama Bible, an audible Bible that utilizes one hundred actors and voice actors to vividly deliver the contents of the Bible in a memorable and enjoyable way. Making use of the Dr
Photo Briefing
The Yonsei Annals
2018.11.07 20:08
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“ONE UNIVERSITY, multi campus.” Made by the President of Yonsei University, Kim Yong-hak, on September 27, this statement has since sparked an ongoing debate among the student body across the entire university. The contentious remark has called forth deliberations of a possible unification of Yonsei’s Sinchon campus with the Wonju campus, a thought that has further instigated arguments both within and outside the university among students and the public. How it all beganThe problem first rose to surface when the Wonju campus of Yonsei University was enlisted as one of the “ability strengthenin
Wallposter
Lee C.W, Lee S.J, Shin Y.S
2018.10.09 17:50
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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, global engagement and empowerment—these are terms that may seem unfamiliar and inaccessible to many students. Yet, they are also “the pathway to the future we want for all” that offer “a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen governance,” as stated by Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), during the G20 Working Dinner in 2013. Understanding the importance of sustainable growth, Yonsei University is working in harmony with its professors and student body to make s
Campus Issue
Kim Min-seo, Song Min-sun
2018.10.02 23:56
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COMPARED TO the past, when college students were mainly concerned with getting straight As and perfect test scores, the current generation finds it necessary to augment their resumes in other ways. Companies now search for candidates who possess appropriate skills and prior experience in their prospective career fields. However, the tertiary education system in South Korea is yet to fully adapt to these changing expectations, and thus fails to equip its students with hands-on opportunities outside of school. Yonsei University, with its newly-founded institute, the Institute of Higher Education
Campus Insider
Yang Ji-weon
2018.10.02 23:40
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ON APRIL 13, 2018, a poster was put up in front of Yonsei’s central library that demanded for the university to appropriately respond to all forms of sexual harassment on campus. The poster had been written by the Yonsei Female Professors’ Council. With its members striving for a full representation of female’s voices on campus, the Yonsei Female Professors’ Council made numerous advancements for the women of Yonsei during its ten years as an unofficial organization. However, continued gender inequality prompted the group to become an official organization. Responding to this need, on May 17,
Campus Insider
Kim Min-seo
2018.09.02 11:43
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“PASSION PAY.” A newly coined term that perfectly reflects the reality of student internships in Korea. The neologism, often used by young job seekers, refers to the unfortunate reality that interns are expected to be “passionate” enough to endure poor treatment, namely underpayment. Desperate job seekers tolerate low wages in hopes that such passion could lead to high prospects for decent jobs. University students are especially placed in a vulnerable position because student internships in Korea are often tied to both the corporation and the university. These student internships generally ta
Campus Issue
Kwon Young-sau
2018.09.02 11:35
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IT WAS as if the heavens were falling apart. An ominous cluster of thick rain clouds eclipsed the bright blue of the midday and covered the skies with a layer of gloomy gray. Incessant streaks of lightening and roaring thunder hurled the day. Pouring rain soon became minatory hails, drumming and bashing all over. At 12:24 p.m., a warning siren went off at the Education Sciences Hall of Yonsei University, indicating the danger of menacing lightning strikes. On the same day at 1:02 p.m., two students were trapped in the elevator on the fifth floor of the very same building. May 3, 2018, was an u
Wallposter
Han Hee-ho, Song Min-sun
2018.06.04 12:17