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Seoul National University

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Seoul National University, often called SNU, is a major public research university in Seoul, South Korea.

SNU Maingate
SNU Maingate

It is recognized as one of the prestigious SKY universities. It is also a member of the Flagship Korean National Universities. The institution serves as a central hub for higher learning and research in the country. SNU manages a massive academic structure to support its students. This includes sixteen distinct colleges and one graduate school. It also operates nine professional schools to train specialists in various fields.

The university's academic reach is vast and highly organized. The sixteen colleges offer a total of 83 different undergraduate degree programs. These include the College of Humanities, the College of Social Sciences, and the College of Engineering. There are also specialized colleges like the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the College of Veterinary Medicine. For advanced students, the single graduate school provides 99 programs across five different fields of study. Additionally, twelve professional graduate schools exist to provide specialized training. This complex system allows students to study everything from fine arts to data science.

SNU's history is rooted in the efforts of the Joseon dynasty to modernize Korea. King Gojong initiated the creation of modern higher education institutions. In 1895, he issued a royal order to found a law academy. This academy produced 209 graduates, including the envoy Yi Tjoune. Other early institutions included Hanseong Sabeomhakgyo, a teacher training school, and Euihakkyo, a medical school. The medical school underwent many name changes over the years. It eventually became the SNU College of Medicine. In 1901, a nursing department was also established.

The modern university was officially founded on August 27, 1946. This happened through the merger of ten different higher education institutions in the Seoul area. These merged schools included colleges for law, education, industrial studies, and mining. Other merged institutions were the Suwon Agriculture College and the Gyeongseong Dentistry College. Harry Bidwell Ansted served as the university's first president. The school faced significant challenges during its early years. A protest movement against the U.S. military government led to the firing of 320 professors. More than 4,950 students also left the school during this time.

Conflict and relocation have also shaped the university's physical presence. During the Korean War in 1950, North Korean forces occupied the university. This period included the tragic Seoul National University Hospital massacre. Because of the war, the university temporarily moved to Busan. It merged with other South Korean universities during this difficult time. Later, the university moved its main campus to the Gwanak District in 1975. This move followed a request from President Park Chung Hee. The original main campus in the Jongno District is now known as the Yeongeon Campus.

Snu library night
Snu library night

The university manages several distinct campuses across South Korea. The Gwanak Campus serves as the main site and is located in southern Seoul. It is large enough to have its own subway station on Line 2.

newgwanaskacomplete
newgwanaskacomplete

The Yeongeon Campus is located in northeast Seoul on Daehangno. This campus specifically houses the medical, dental, and nursing colleges. A third campus is located in Pyeongchang County within Gangwon Province. While the Suwon agricultural campus moved to Gwanak in 2004, some research facilities remain in Suwon. The university has even explored plans to establish a global campus in Siheung. This plan could increase the university's land size by 58 percent.

SNU is also a vital guardian of Korean history and culture. The Kyujanggak Archives, also called the Kyujanggak Royal Library, are located on campus.

Joseon Wangjo Sillok and its case in museum
Joseon Wangjo Sillok and its case in museum

This institution was originally founded in 1776 by King Jeongjo. It serves as a key repository for important Korean historical records. The university also operates a museum on the Gwanak Campus.

Snu new museum art
Snu new museum art

The museum was originally the Keijō Imperial University Museum. Today, it is located in new facilities next to the Dongwon Building. Furthermore, the SNU Library is a massive resource for research.

Snu library night
Snu library night

By 2015, the library reached a size of 57,747 square meters. It holds 5.2 million volumes of books and over 260,000 academic journals.

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🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:SNU Maingate.jpg
SNU Maingate.jpg
File:Snu library night.JPG
Snu library night.JPG
File:Joseon Wangjo Sillok and its case in museum.jpg
Joseon Wangjo Sillok and its case in museum.jpg
File:Snu new museum art.JPG
Snu new museum art.JPG
File:newgwanaskacomplete.JPG
newgwanaskacomplete.JPG
File:SNU 75.jpg
SNU 75.jpg
File:Seoul national university 60th anniversary emblem.png
Seoul national university 60th...
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