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Sogang University

Coordinates: 37°33′04″N 126°56′28″E / 37.55111°N 126.94111°E / 37.55111; 126.94111
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Sogang University
서강대학교
Former name
Sogang College (SC)
(1960–1970)
MottoObedire Veritati (Latin)
Motto in English
"Obey the Truth"
TypePrivate research university
EstablishedApril 18, 1960; 64 years ago (1960-04-18)
FounderFr. Theodore Geppert, S.J.
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic
(Society of Jesus)
Academic affiliations
ACUCA
AJCU-AP AACSB
ChairmanFr. Park Mun-su (Francis Xavier Buchmeier), S.J.
PresidentRev. Luke Sim Jong-hyeok, S.J.
Academic staff
439 (Full-time)
741 (Part-time)
Administrative staff
183 (Full-time)
80 (Part-time)
Students15,111
Undergraduates11,199
Postgraduates3,912
Location
35 Baekbeom-ro, Mapo, Seoul
,
South Korea
CampusUrban (59.6 acres)
Colors  Cardinal
  Silver
MascotAlbatross
Websitewww.sogang.ac.kr
Korean name
Hangul
서강대학교
Hanja
Revised RomanizationSeogang Daehakgyo
McCune–ReischauerSŏgang Taehakkyo

Sogang University (SU, Korean: 서강대학교; lit. West River University) is a private research university in Seoul, South Korea. It was established in 1960 by Fr. Theodore Geppert, SJ with the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus with the school being the oldest Jesuit institution of higher education in the country.

History

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Beginnings

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At the initiative of the Catholic Hierarchy of Korea, Pope Pius XII gave assurance that a Catholic institution of higher learning would be established in Korea. In 1948 he entrusted the task to the Society of Jesus. In October 1954 Jesuit Fr. Theodore Geppert, SJ from Sophia University of Tokyo came to Korea in search of a suitable site to establish a Jesuit college.[1] In February 1955 Jean-Baptiste Janssens, SJ, the twenty-seventh Superior General of the Society of Jesus, assigned the task of establishing the college to the Wisconsin Province of Jesuits. Fr. Leo Burns, SJ, Superior of the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus, came to Korea and, with the Korean Catholic Hierarchy, began negotiations with the Syngman Rhee government for the establishment of a liberal arts college. In January 1957 the Society of Jesus purchased a property of 67,075 pyong (217,323 sq. meters, 53 acres) at Nogosan, Sinsu-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. The site was prepared for construction of an Administration Building, which was completed in November 1959. Sogang College was opened in 1960 and was granted research university status in 1970.

Development

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The 1979 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Mother Teresa visited Sogang in May 1981 and gave addresses in the auditorium and at the basketball court, appealing for all to practice a charity that is universal.

In 1984, the Korean Catholic Church celebrated its bicentennial. For the celebration, Pope John Paul II visited Korea on May 5, meeting with priests along with men and women religious in the gymnasium and with Korean intellectuals in the auditorium.

A Sogang University campus building

On April 24, 1985, Sogang's 25th anniversary was commemorated, with Sogang's founder Fr. Geppert, SJ as a special guest.

University symbol and slogan

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The cardinal red university color symbolizes love, the Holy Spirit, martyrdom, loyalty, and victory. The silver chevron comes from the first letter 'ㅅ' of 서강 (Sogang), representing the intellectual spirit of Sogang and an ivory tower. The "IHS" comes from the first letters of the Greek name Ιησους (ΙΗΣΟΥΣ) for Jesus and is also found on the seal of the Society of Jesus, the Catholic religious order that founded the university. The medieval crown stands for the Virgin and Trinity, symbolizing wisdom.[2] Sogang University also has a famous slogan which is: Be as Proud of Sogang as Sogang is Proud of You (Korean: 그대 서강의 자랑이듯, 서강 그대의 자랑이어라).

Academics

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University rankings
JoongAng National[3] Domestic 12
QS National[4] General 17
THE National[5] General 22–27
QS Asia
(Asia version)[6]		 General =92
THE Asia
(Asia version)[7]		 General =180
QS World[8] General =576
THE World[9] General 801–1000
USNWR World[10] General =1381

Admission to Sogang University is highly selective and nationally competitive. Sogang's freshman intake belongs to the top 1% of their high school academic performance in the country, as the university is widely regarded as one of the top private universities in addition to being one of the most prestigious elite schools in the country.[16] However, the university's global ranking lags behind its esteemed national reputation and evaluation results because the institution has no medical school and fewer students enrolled compared to some other major Korean universities of a similar national rank.

Sogang Business School

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In October 2009, Sogang University received accreditation in business from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) to establish the university's very first business school.[17]

Sogang Business School ranks among the nation's top five business schools. Located near Seoul's Financial District, alumni from the school have received the highest job-landing ratio for undergraduates among universities in South Korea in 2006, 2007 and 2008: the percentages of employment in major companies measured by the Ministry of Education were 55.1%, 53.3% and 54.9% respectively for these years.

The "Sogang School of Economics"

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The university has contributed significantly to the rapid economic growth of South Korea since the 1960s. Faculty members linked with Sogang have been deeply involved in shaping the country's future economic development model spearheaded through the top-level cabinet positions in the government by laying the groundwork of South Korea's rapid economic growth of South Korea. Due to these important engagements, a group of economists associated with the university and engaged in economic policy-making came to be called the "Sogang School." Based on its reputation, the institution has consistently drawn and attracted young talent of the highest intellectual caliber from around the country, mostly among applicants who scored in the top 1 percent threshold of the national college entrance examination. Sogang's economics department has been recognized as one of the foremost in South Korea based on international scholarly journal publications.[18]

Sogang Korean Language Education Center

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Sogang Korean Language Education Center (KLEC) was established in 1990 with the goal of popularizing and spreading the Korean language and Korean culture throughout the world.[19]

Since its establishment, over 30,000 students from overseas have learned about Korean culture and language by participating in its programs. Currently, an average of 3,500 students register for the Korean Language Education Center every year.[20]

Notable alumni and faculty

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Alumni

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Politics

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Park Geun-hye, 11th president of the Republic of Korea

Business

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Academia

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Literature

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Broadcasting and entertainment

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Notable faculty

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Worcester, SJ, Thomas (August 16, 2017). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the Jesuits. Cambridge University Press. p. 233. ISBN 9780521769051.
  2. ^ "교표" [University symbol] (in Korean). sogang.ac.kr.
  3. ^ "2023 JoongAng Ilbo University Rankings". JoongAng Ilbo. 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  4. ^ "QS University Rankings 2025". Top Universities. 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  5. ^ "THE University Rankings 2025 - South Korea". Times Higher Education (THE). 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  6. ^ "QS World University Rankings: Asia 2025". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "Asia University Rankings 2024". Times Higher Education. 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
  8. ^ "QS World University Rankings". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 2025. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  9. ^ "THE World University Rankings". Times Higher Education. 2025. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  10. ^ U.S.News & World Report (2024). "2024-2025 Best Global Universities Rankings". Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. ^ U.S.News & World Report (2024). "Best Global Universities in South Korea". Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  12. ^ World University Rankings - 2023 (2024). "South Korea Universities in Top 500 universities". Academic Ranking of World Universities. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  13. ^ U.S.News & World Report (2024). "2024-2025 Best Global Universities in Asia". Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  14. ^ "Academic Ranking of World Universities". Institute of Higher Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. 2024. Retrieved August 15, 2024.
  15. ^ "Young University Rankings 2024: South Korea". Times Higher Education (THE). 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  16. ^ Kim, Sung-tak (September 13, 2022). "Open mouth, insert foot". Korea Joongang Daily.
  17. ^ MBA Channel: South Korea on the rise
  18. ^ "Park's aides focus on growth, fair economy". The Korea Herald. December 21, 2012.
  19. ^ Jung, Min-kyung (February 12, 2023). "[Newsmaker] [Hello Hangeul] Yonsei vs Sogang: A closer look at decades-old rivalry in Korean language education". The Korea Herald.
  20. ^ "Sogang University". wwwe.sogang.ac.kr. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
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37°33′04″N 126°56′28″E / 37.55111°N 126.94111°E / 37.55111; 126.94111

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