 Prof. Kim Joo-pil of Dongguk University signed a written pledge to donate a spider museum he built with his own cash to the school. |
By Cho Jae-hyon
Staff Reporter
Professor Kim Joo-pil, known as the nation's first "spider doctor," has devoted his life to studying spiders and educating students and children about them.
Kim, 66, Tuesday signed a written pledge to donate a spider museum he built with his own cash to Dongguk University. The Joopil Spider Museum (also called Arachnopia), located in Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province, is the world's largest spider museum, exhibiting more than 5,000 species, including many that are alive.
Kim built the museum about seven years ago to preserve and exhibit the collection of spiders he and his colleagues had gathered from around the world over the last four decades. The market value of the museum is estimated at more than 20 billion won ($17 million).
"I've decided to donate this museum to the school for the better preservation of the museum. I want this museum, even after I die, to be used as a place for students and children to study and learn about spiders," Kim told The Korea Times. "I have one son and two daughters but they don't have any interest in spiders."
Kim said he has travelled to more than 100 countries to collect spiders over the last 40 years, with their number at the museum now reaching 200,000.
"You may not be able to imagine how hard it has been to collect them. There has been immeasurable haggling with customs officers when I brought them in from foreign countries," Kim said.
He also recalled that he was once arrested by soldiers while collecting spiders at night on Mt. Sobaek in the 1970s, as villagers had reported him and his colleagues as armed spies from North Korea to the army.
He and his researchers have found and reported over 100 new species to the world academic circle.
"I still have a lot to study. I will have to continue to help manage the museum even after the donation as it needs professional hands," Kim said.
Kim said he feels most rewarded when children visit the museum and gain an interest in spiders.
"Spiders are generally regarded as creepy, repulsive creatures. But they are really charming and cute once you get to know them," Kim said. "I hope this museum will help alter prejudice against spiders."
Kim also said spiders are beneficial to human beings as they eat harmful insects.
Kim obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in animal studies at Seoul National University and a doctorate with a thesis on spiders at Dongguk University.
chojh@koreatimes.co.kr
