A Lifelong Bond Created at the Main Library

Mr. Shin arrived for the interview with a large bag filled with written materials. The thickest file contained memories of his wife. Since she passed away last year, he has been organizing their life stories, along with the memories he cherished with his family.

“My wife and I first met at the Main Library. It was just before graduation, and I had some free time, so I stopped by the library and saw her. She stood out even from a distance.”

In the early 1970s, when love matches were not common, the two became a campus couple, and they shared enthusiasm for alumni events and charitable activities.

“My wife passed away after fighting her disease for a year and three months. I was heartbroken and wanted to do something meaningful in her memory. So, after discussing it with our children, we decided to establish a scholarship at Korea University. I thought it was the best way to honor and remember my wife.”

A Habit of Giving, a Legacy for the Family

Mr. Shin has a keen memory. When he was in high school, he was unable to pay the university tuition by the deadline due to extreme financial hardship. Just as he was about to give up, the mother of a friend heard about his situation and provided the necessary funds.

“I will never forget that experience. My friend’s mother asked me if I still had not paid the tuition, then suddenly told me to come to her house. When we arrived, she took a bundle of money out of a drawer and urged me to go to Seoul immediately. She did not mention a repayment deadline or interest. She gave the money to me unconditionally.”

That experience instilled in Mr. Shin the value of sharing. Despite facing financial hardships throughout his university years, he continuously practiced small acts of giving. After graduating, he joined a large corporation and worked diligently, and later ran a small business, which allowed him to start making more substantial donations. His numerous contributions to Korea University led him to join the KU Pride Club, and he actively served as the chairman of the Goryeong Shin Clan Scholarship Foundation. His younger brother Shin Jong-ho (Department of Mechanical Engineering, ‘76) and his son-in-law, Nam In-cheol, who received a Ph.D. in engineering from Korea University, have also contributed to the advancement of their alma mater’s natural sciences program through donations. Mr. Shin hopes that giving becomes a family tradition and legacy.

“Some people jokingly call it a ‘donation addiction.’ I think giving has become a way of life and a habit for us. As a result, my son and daughter and their spouses also see giving as something natural, and our whole family follows this tradition.”

Mr. Shin brought his 13-year-old grandson, Nam Ji-ho, to both the donation ceremony held last January and this interview. Ji-ho is the grandchild his late wife cared for the most, and Mr. Shin hopes that attending these events will help instill in him the family legacy of giving, and keep the memory of his grandmother alive.

Mr. Shin and his family at the donation ceremony held in January

The Joy of Sharing Outshines the Pride in Possession

Mr. Shin has paid alumni membership fees every year since graduation and has a complete collection of the KU Alumni Newsletter since its founding, both of which show his deep affection for his alma mater. The donation he made last January is particularly significant in that it has triggered the active participation of Department of Food and Resource Economics alumni in the KU Circle for Miracle, a group-based fundraising campaign that encourages joint donations by individuals from the same department or year of admission.

“If you compare the joy of accumulating wealth and the joy of giving, the latter is much greater. I am a witness to this. I hope my fellow alumni also experience this happiness.”

We hope that the warm heart of Mr. Shin Jang-ho, who loves Korea University, will serve as a catalyst for even more hope.