A professor to remember

By Bernard Rowan

Through this column, in the thanksgiving season of the Chuseok festival, I write a tribute to my senior colleague and friend, Park Eung-kyuk. In doing so, I wish to celebrate his commitment to democracy and local government in Korea. Professor Park's legacy of teaching and research as an academic professional and his love of international humanity are shining examples of accomplishment. I also wish to draw a broader reflection about the value of academia and Confucianism in Korea.

Mr. Park was professor of public administration at Hanyang University, where he taught for many years. He is now professor emeritus. He was director of the Center for Local Autonomy (CLA) and the Graduate School of Public Administration for much of that time. Prof. Park and then president of Hanyang University, Kim Chong-yang, worked to set up a wonderful partnership with the Friedrich Neumann Foundation of Germany (FNF).

FNF-CLA continues today under the leadership of Prof. Han Sang-woo. Its purpose, to spread international understanding of the value of liberalism, joins with CLA's goal of creating generations of leaders for local government and democracy in South Korea. A great variety of events, publications, and international efforts have unfolded under this mission. They have included initiatives to promote understanding with North Korea as well. CLA trains cadres of local officials and provides outreach education to municipal officials regularly.

Park served as the eighth president of a major institute under the Prime Minister's Office, the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA). During that time, Prof. Park's administration fostered international understanding and appreciation for Korean public administration and Korea's developmental success. His team carried out an impressive record of meetings, conferences, memoranda of understanding, and positive works for international humanity. He visited other countries to further the mission of KIPA. KIPA received a constant stream of international colleagues to further its joint efforts.

Perhaps when a historian of Korean democracy will reflect on the 20th and 21st centuries, he should note Prof. Park's contribution in carrying out the Korean government's purpose to create local government, democracy, and liberal political economy. Many nations of the world have learned about the Korean path to development, political and economic. Countless practitioners, scholars and students, and members of the global public understand the best practice of public administration because of his teaching, research, and service.

Professor Park has written many articles and books, as well as columns for Korean newspapers, including The Korea Times. Among his major works is the often used volume, translated into several languages, "Korea: From Rags to Riches." This book provides a primer for developing nations and advanced countries on the Korean miracle, which continues to unfold. Other notable works include "Earth in Danger on the Global Climate Crisis and Korean Maritime Sovereignty" (with the late Park Chang-seok). Finally, the edited volume, "Discover Korea in Public Administration," is a valuable primer on Korean political science. A scan of Google Scholar reveals dozens of other titles written by Park.

A family friend some years ago introduced Park Eung-kyuk to me. In this simple way, I began a friendship that continues until today. I want to note that Professor Park and I were strangers, but through a love of political science and learning, we became friends. Professor Park is my senior, but in time he referred to himself as my older brother or hyung. Our academic friendship spurred my work and energized others.

With Prof. Park, I talk of life, our families, and our dreams. He is an inspiring influence. When we discuss ideas, we don't always agree, but we find a harmony of intellectual and creative purpose. I'm not ashamed to say that at times when we walk, we hold hands in friendship. At other times in public, Prof. Park walks ahead of me, and that's okay with me too

Korea is a Confucian society but one increasingly reticent to claim it. A principal value of Korean Confucianism and an everlasting spur to its advanced learning and constant pursuit of progress is the relations between professors and students. They tell of the Korean approach to higher education. Don't ever undervalue or forget it! Park represents the scholar-bureaucrat and the teacher and student. Learning and humanity unite in the life and work of Park Eung-kyuk. I'm sure the same is true of thousands of other colleagues in Korea's colleges and universities. Talk to Korean leaders of business or politics and ask them to name an influential professor for their work. The Korean professor practices what she or he teaches.

Prof. Park lives out the value and importance of lifelong education. He continues a tradition that hundreds of thousands of other Korean scholars and teachers pass along. It includes the idea that learning creates a society of friends beyond age, beyond nationality, beyond locality, and beyond discipline. He is a professor to remember.

Bernard Rowan is associate provost for contract administration and professor of political science at Chicago State University, where he has served for 22 years. Reach him at browan10@yahoo.com.