Kim Jeong-ok, Chairperson of the Kim Hee-kyung European Spiritual Culture Scholarship Foundation, who attracted attention for pledging a total of KRW 8 billion (KRW 2 billion in 2019 and KRW 6 billion in 2022), has donated KRW 6 billion of the pledged amount. The pledged total of KRW 8 billion was the largest individual donation pledge in Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) history.

Chairperson Kim pledged KRW 2 billion in 2019 to be used for student scholarships at JBNU, and in 2022 she pledged KRW 6 billion to support facility improvements at the Samsung Arts Center to contribute to an improved quality of life for local residents.

Following her pledge, Chairperson Kim began donating the student scholarship funds, starting with KRW 1 billion in 2019 and adding another KRW 1 billion in 2020, thereby completing the full scholarship pledge within two years. These funds are currently being used to support students’ language training, exchange scholarships to universities in Germany, and scholarships to cultivate the next generation of scholars.

Regarding the KRW 6 billion pledged in 2022 for improvements to the Samsung Arts Center, Chairperson Kim donated KRW 2 billion that year, followed by KRW 1 billion in 2023 and KRW 1 billion this year, totaling KRW 4 billion to date. These donations have been used for actual facility expansion and related improvements at the Samsung Arts Center.

Chairperson Kim plans to continue donating KRW 1 billion annually to contribute to improving the quality of life for provincial residents and university members through ongoing facility enhancements at the Samsung Arts Center.

President Yang O-bong said, “On behalf of the university, I extend our deep gratitude to Chairperson Kim Jeong-ok for showing broad and profound generosity to our students, staff, and local residents. The best way for JBNU to honor her noble intentions and allow them to blossom even more beautifully is for our university to boldly advance as a Glocal University that pursues mutual development with the region. We will redouble our efforts for the university’s advancement.”

Chairperson Kim Jeong-ok said, “I continue to give back to society in order to carry on my mother’s precious wish. I will continue to support my second hometown, Jeonju, and JBNU. I hope that students—the future leaders—will dream bigger, and I expect that the Samsung Arts Center at JBNU, which is leading regional cultural development, will see further infrastructure expansion so that local residents and university members alike can fully enjoy culture and the arts.”