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Hong Seoung-yong, front right, Inha University president, Gejyo Fumitake, center, Niigata University president and Yamada Yoshiaki, left, vice president of Niigata, pose for a picture with exchange students of Inha University and Niigata University. / Courtesy of Inha University |
By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
Inha University in Incheon plans to more actively interact with Japanese universities in order to successfully launch the first-ever law school system in Korea.
A total of 25 Korean universities will open U.S.-style law schools next March. The new system seeks to produce lawyers, prosecutors and judges experienced in various fields of study rather than those who just pass the current bar exam.
Japan has already introduced the legal education system since 2004. Although the Japanese government has seen many challenges by the new graduate school system, Hong Seoung-yong, president of the university believes Korea can learn many lessons from its neighboring country, no matter they are positive or negative.
The new graduate school planned by Inha University will focus on logistics and copyrights laws. Hong toured four of Japanese universities from June 9 through 14th to strengthen ties with them.
Niigata University located in a key metropolis on the East Sea was the first destination for the school head. During the visit, Hong agreed with his counterpart, president Gejyo Fumitake, to work together for their law schools.
Apart from this, the two universities will offer dual degrees to their students on studies in Information Technology and later expand to other fields.
Last Thursday, Hong visited Waseda University in Tokyo. To get know-how about the law school from the Japanese school, Hong offered summer programs to Waseda students, including Korean language and culture classes as well as a field trip to famous Korean sites.
Besides, Hong agreed with President Shirai Katsuhiko, to conduct together a project on a marine navigation system. On the same day, Hong had a meeting with a Japanese lawmaker, Yasuoka Okiharu, who initiated the law school system in Japan. Hong discussed with the Japanese specialist about directions for Korean law schools to overcome problems that Japan has experienced.
Meiji and Chou universities in Tokyo will also be the partner of Inha University for the law school system. Especially, Inha plans to hold a conference regarding the legal education system this August. Beyond these plans, Hong signed with president Naya Hiromichi of Meiji University on exchanging sports players.
kswho@koreatimes.co.kr
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yistory@koreatimes.co.kr
