"There is no such thing as being late to learn. I will do my best to become an expert in the agricultural and life sciences fields to lead the region."

Last year, Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) established a contracted Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences (bachelor's degree program) to provide reeducation for residents of Gochang County. On February 29, JBNU held the department's entrance ceremony and began training outstanding talent to foster the agricultural and life sciences industry in the Gochang area.

The entrance ceremony was attended by about 100 people, including President Seo Geoseok and JBNU administrators, Gochang County Governor Lee Gang-su and other key Gochang officials, Lee Man-woo, Chair of the Gochang County Council, the Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences' first new students and their families.

Thirty students enrolled in the Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences for the first time. All are engaged in agricultural and life sciences work in Gochang, including Kim Jeong-nam (59), who served as an agricultural civil servant in Gochang for more than 30 years, and employees of local companies such as Maeil Dairies. It is expected that by completing a formal university program, they will play a significant role in developing the agricultural and life sciences industry in the Gochang region.

In his entrance ceremony address, President Seo Geoseok said, "We cannot help but highly commend you, the new students, for choosing the path of learning on your own as pioneers leading the knowledge and information era." He added, "Although you will face the difficulty of balancing work, family and school, please recognize that this too is an important part of the learning process and engage in campus life accordingly. The university will also do its best to ensure you have a rewarding university experience."

* <Interview> Oldest New Student Kim Jeong-nam

"If you have passion, I believe there is no better time than now to learn and master new skills."

He says it is by no means too late. He says this is another new beginning.

This is the story of Kim Jeong-nam (59), the oldest among the Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences' first cohort of 30 new students at the Gochang Campus.

"Between working and raising children, I postponed attending university for over 30 years. I am very happy to be able to attend university at such a late age."

He worked as an agricultural civil servant in Gochang County for 36 years and raised one son and eight daughters while working in agriculture. Because of his busy life, he was unable to continue his education properly. For him, who longed to learn throughout his life, the Department of Agricultural and Life Sciences, newly established this year at the Gochang Campus, has reignited his passion for learning.

For him, now a late-in-life university student, learning is more than just obtaining a degree. Having worked in agriculture and served for many years as an agricultural civil servant, he believes that to increase local farmers' incomes, modernization of agricultural distribution channels is necessary.

He said, "Although our agriculture has made great strides in productivity, the advancement of distribution remains distant. I hope to build solid expertise in agricultural distribution during the degree program and pass that knowledge on to farmers in Gochang County."

Finally, he said, "It is very encouraging that JBNU, as a regional flagship university, and Gochang County have joined hands to establish this degree program to reeducate local residents who have been relatively marginalized. Over the four-year program, I will study and improve myself to become someone who can contribute to the development of agriculture in Gochang County."