Yongin Mayor Lee Sang-il attended the 73rd founding anniversary ceremony of Yongin University on Friday.
Founded in 1953, Yongin University has been a driving force in South Korean sports development — home to the world's first taekwondo department and the alma mater of numerous Olympic medalists. Befitting Yongin's identity as a semiconductor city, the university will launch a new AI Systems Semiconductor department next year to train talent for advanced industries.
About 100 people attended the ceremony, including Mayor Lee, Yongin University President Park Yun-gyu, school foundation chairman Lee Seong-jin, and faculty and staff.
"Over the past 73 years, Yongin University has produced countless talented individuals under its founding philosophy of cultivating people of integrity who contribute to society, and as mayor of Yongin, I am very proud of that legacy," Lee said.
Lee said Yongin is building the world's largest semiconductor ecosystem, anchored by Samsung Electronics' 360 trillion won (approximately $237 billion) investment, SK Hynix's 600 trillion won investment, and the move-in of semiconductor materials, components and equipment companies. "I hope the AI Systems Semiconductor department at Yongin University will produce outstanding talent to lead the future semiconductor industry and play an important role in strengthening the competitiveness of both the region and the nation," he said.
Lee also announced that the "Yongin Cheongjeong University Games," an exchange and cooperation event for students from five universities in the city — Yongin University, Dankook University, Kyung Hee University, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and Kangnam University — will be held at Yongin Arpia on Sept. 4.
fob140@heraldcorp.com
