Special coverage of the "April 19 Revolution" and the "Jeonbuk 4·4 Protest," the first nationwide student demonstration. The first university newspaper in the country to be produced in pure Hangul horizontal writing. A ten-year serialized "Local Heritage Excavation Series." Publication of blank pages in protest against censorship under military dictatorship. Establishment of the largest nationwide Choi Myung-hee Literature Prize….

Jeonbuk University Newspaper, which has led development at Jeonbuk University and opened new horizons for campus journalism, marks its 70th anniversary. At the same time, the Jeonbuk University Newspaper Reporters' Association, a group of student reporters who honed their youth and passion through the paper, celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Accordingly, the Jeonbuk University Newspaper and the Reporters' Association held a small but meaningful event on the 24th at Jinsudang at Jeonbuk University under the theme "Vigorous Youth, Evergreen Integrity." The event was attended by Yang O-bong, President of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) (President of the Jeonbuk University Newspaper), Kim Kwan-young, Governor of North Jeolla Province, Seo Geo-seok, Superintendent of Education of North Jeolla Province, Woo Beom-gi, Mayor of Jeonju, Jeong Seong-ju, Mayor of Gimje, Kim Jae-young, former weekly professor, reporter members and about 100 other attendees. 

At the commemorative ceremony, the Jeonbuk University Newspaper and the Reporters' Association selected two articles from the past 70 years of coverage and presented the "Sanmin Reporters' Award." The winning works were the "Local Heritage Excavation Series," serialized over ten years from 1982 to 1992, and Issue No. 77, which ran a special on the April 19 Revolution. The prize for each was 1,000,000 won.

"Sanmin" was the pen name of the late Han Seung-heon, former Chairman of the Board of Audit, who served as an adviser to the Jeonbuk University Newspaper.

Also, the Reporters' Association donated a scholarship of 20 million won to Jeonbuk University on that day. 

In his commemorative address, President Yang O-bong said, "Founded in 1954, the Jeonbuk University Newspaper has, from its first issue to Issue No. 1,560, upheld the principles and fundamentals of campus journalism through numerous vicissitudes and has captured vivid scenes as a recorder of university history. I congratulate the Jeonbuk University Newspaper on its 70th anniversary and the Reporters' Association on its 50th anniversary, and I hope that through continuous effort it will reach its 100th anniversary and, further on, its 200th anniversary."

Kim Yong-kwon, President of the Jeonbuk University Newspaper Reporters' Association (Kookmin Ilbo reporter), said, "Members who learned the spirit of the times and critical journalism through their student-reporter days at the university newspaper have worked vigorously and actively in various sectors of society and in countries around the world. Let us continue to strive for the advancement of our alma mater, region and nation with the same vigorous and evergreen spirit." 

The Jeonbuk University Newspaper published its first issue on February 16, 1954 under the newspaper slogans "Promotion of Truth (眞理暢達), Correct Principles and Sound Opinion (正理正論), Agility and Freedom (俊敏自在)." It was the third national university paper to be published nationwide, following Seoul National University and Kyungpook National University. 

At that time the paper's title was "JBNU Bulletin." After establishing a weekly publication system in 1962, the paper passed Issue No. 1,000 in 1996 and most recently published Issue No. 1,560.

Issue No. 77, dated May 13, 1960, bears vivid testimony to a page of history. That issue ran a special on the "April 19 Revolution." 

The front-page lead article titled "Devoted to Building a Democratic Campus・April Student Revolution," along with photos, editorials and a paean by poet Shin Seok-jeong, filled the pages with stirring and exultant reports. This issue accurately and in detail reported the Jeonbuk students' "April 4 protest," which occurred even before the demonstrations at Korea University at the time.

Issue No. 101 in January 1962 became the first in the history of university newspapers nationwide to adopt horizontal writing and a newspaper produced entirely in Hangul.

The "Local Heritage Excavation Series," serialized from March 1982 to February 1992 over ten years, is considered a masterpiece. It was a major project not even seen in the daily press at the time. 

Starting with the first installment "In Search of the Hometown of Songs" and continuing through seven installments ending with "Following Mountains and Barley," student reporters traversed the landscape of Jeollabuk-do and worked to uncover local culture and history. These reports were later published as a book titled "Jeolla Travelogue." 

In June 1989, when the Combined Security Forces seized the newspaper's printing plates over an article related to the "Pyongyang Festival," the paper printed the relevant page blank as a sign of protest. 

In the 1990s, the university newspaper carried out media innovation to become a paper that engaged with readers, turning its gaze toward campus life and the local community. 

In the 2000s, the Jeonbuk University Newspaper expanded and restructured the "Jeonbuk University Newspaper Literary Award," inaugurated the "Choi Myung-hee Youth Literary Award," and now operates the largest-scale university newspaper literary prize in the country. The late Choi Myung-hee, author of the lifelong masterpiece "Honbul" and the namesake of the youth literary award, first became known as a novelist through the 1970s Jeonbuk University Newspaper Literary Award.

Moreover, reporter members have built exceptional solidarity and friendship over half a century. They formed the Reporters' Association in the winter of 1974 and have held annual gatherings since. Based on the reporting spirit learned in the newsroom, members have been active and vigorous across fields as journalists, university professors, and business executives. 

The late Han Seung-heon, former Chairman of the Board of Audit, and Choi Seung-beom, former Jeonbuk University professor, are also part of the association's family.