Pusan National University President Jeon Ho-hwan is of the opinion that a Korea-Japan undersea tunnel should be dug to bring warmth to the currently chilly Korea-Japan relations. As a naval architecture and marine engineer, he said, "In an era when undersea city plans are being drawn up, building an undersea tunnel is not a difficult civil engineering project." On the 17th, I met with Jeon, who is aiming to become one of the world's most prestigious universities.
(Interviewer: Kang Chang-man, Editor: Lee Min-ho)
"Only by taking proactive measures can we prepare for the future. The unification agenda is extremely important. Unification will come suddenly at some point. It will not be planned. Busan is the gateway to the Eurasian continent, and from the other side, it is an outpost extending out into the ocean. Busan is a city that has all the environment of a global city. Global cities have global universities. Just look at New York City alone, and the youth culture centered around universities is the driving force behind the city's development. I want to see Pusan National University leap out of Korea and become a prestigious university on the world stage."
(Photo: President Chun Ho-hwan)
"You're right. Relations between Korea and Japan are important for Korea's development. The excavation of the Korea-Japan tunnel is at the heart of that. The opening of the tunnel is necessary for Busan to become the center of the East Sea (Sea of Japan) economic zone connecting Japan, China, and Russia. As a naval architect and marine engineer, I don't think it's that difficult. Digging a tunnel under the sea is, to put it bluntly, an extension of civil engineering work. Research into underwater cities has even begun in this day and age. If there's a will, it can be done. This project will also be of great help in improving the frosty Korea-Japan relations."
(Busan city will begin a study this year to analyze the feasibility of building an undersea tunnel between Korea and Japan.)
"Founder Kim Kyung-heon (90, a first-generation Korean resident of Kyoto) is a pioneer in the re-education of the elderly in Korea. Kyung-heon Silver has become the pride of Busan. It has established itself as the number one lifelong learning facility in the country, both in name and reality. There is also fierce competition for admission among the elderly. It is amazing that Korean resident Koreans in Japan can give their compatriots back home a sense of purpose in living a 'second life.' We believe that Korean resident Koreans in Japan have not only improved Korea-Japan relations, but have also made a meaningful contribution to their homeland."
(Photo: Pusan University)
"In January of this year, the number of graduates surpassed 2,500. Thanks to the support of our Korean supporters, including Kim Geon-ji, chairman of the Korean Supporters Association in Japan, we were able to hold a special ceremony to commemorate this milestone. We are grateful for the unwavering support and sponsorship over the past 16 years, and will strive to maintain this important relationship. Koreans in Japan have been a great help to the economic development of their homeland since the impoverished times when they suffered from the spring poverty. I believe that the Keiken Silver Academy is also a success story created by Koreans in Japan. If the children of Koreans in Japan wish to study at Busan National University, we will provide support measures, including scholarships. As president, I would like to help the next generation of Korean students in Japan as much as possible. We will also create a special course so that elderly Koreans in Japan can receive an education at the Silver Academy."
South Korea's Tongil Ilbo (from an article dated January 25, 2017)
