Former Korea University president passes away

By Chung Min-uck

Kim Jun-yeop, a former president of Korea University and a member of the Korean independence movement during the Japanese colonial rule, died of old age at the Korea University Anam Hospital Tuesday. He was 91.

Kim devoted much of his life in the research of Chinese history after Korea’s independence. He taught Chinese modern history at Korea University for 24 years. He served as president of Korea University in 1982-85.

Through the years, Kim also served as a visiting professor at Harvard University and Princeton University.

After the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and China in 1992, he took up a position as a guest professor at universities in China such as Shandong, Nanjing and Yanbian.

In 2009, he was awarded by Korea Foundation for laying the foundation for Korean studies in China and participating in the restoration of the remains of provisional governments in Shanghai and Nanjing during the era of Japanese colonization.

He established 11 Korea research centers in nine Chinese universities including Beijing and Nanjing Universities.

Kim was born in North Pyeongan Province, North Korea in 1920 and joined the independence army in 1944.

He is survived by his wife Im Young-ju and a son.

Kim will be buried Thursday at the National Cemetery in Daejon.