Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Cho Wan-kyoo, former education chief and SNU president, dies at 98
Cho Wan-kyoo / Korea Times file
By Park Ji-won
Cho Wan-kyoo, a pioneering biologist who served as president of Seoul National University (SNU) and later as education minister, died of old age on Monday. He was 98.
Born in Hwanghae Province in North Korea in 1928, Cho graduated from SNU with a degree in biology in 1952. He earned his master's and doctoral degrees from SNU in 1956 and 1969, respectively.
Starting his career as an SNU professor in 1957, he discovered the key mechanisms regulating the maturation process of mammalian oocytes. He is widely recognized for conducting original research, which includes developing a culture method to safely transport eggs and embryos. He is also regarded as the godfather of basic biology in Korea.
Among his most cited findings was his research on the sex ratio at birth in Korea, in which he identified 110 male births for every 100 female births, a result he published in an international academic journal.
Believing that a university should be completely independent, Cho, while serving as SNU president between 1987 and 1991, used his authority to remove the campus ban on political activities. He also reinstated up to 1,300 students who had been expelled for their pro-democracy activism. He was often referred as a "firefighter" president for his role as a fixer.
After being appointed as the 32nd education minister in 1992, he devoted himself to fostering university autonomy and securing financial stability for higher education institutions.
In 1994, he became the inaugural president of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, a nongovernmental academic organization dedicated to advancing science and education nationwide.
Even up until his final days, he dedicated his time to discover and support scientists, hoping to see Korea produce its first Nobel laureate in science.
"It remains my lifelong wish to witness a Korean Nobel laureate in science while I am alive," he was quoted in the Seoul National University Alumni Association magazine in August 2021 as saying.
"Korea now possesses many scientists with the potential to win a Nobel Prize … But sadly, universities are constrained by rigid enrollment quotas, and various research institutes are hitting a wall due to funding shortages, leaving these bright minds with limited pathways. If they are only given the means to persist, they will surely become viable Nobel candidates in 30 or 40 years."
A memorial altar has been set up at Seoul National University Hospital and the funeral procession is scheduled for Friday.