Yang O-bong, President of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) and the 29th President of the Korean Council for University Education, concluded his one-year term on the 4th following the inauguration and farewell ceremony held at The Westin Chosun Seoul in Jung‑gu, Seoul.

The event was attended by a large number of leading figures in education, including presidents from 129 of the country's 196 four-year universities, Kim Young-ho, Chair of the National Assembly's Education Committee, and Cha Jung-in, Chair of the National Education Commission, who applauded President Yang's service. The program proceeded with on-site congratulatory remarks by Chair Kim Young-ho and Chair Cha Jung-in, a video congratulatory message from Minister of Education Choi Kyo-jin, followed by Yang's farewell address and the inaugural address of the 30th incoming President Lee Ki-jeong (President of Hanyang University).

Notably, President Yang drew attention with a special presentation on 'Applications of AI in Universities.' He introduced JBNU's efforts to establish an AI campus and his vision for building the recently prominent 'Physical AI Campus,' repeatedly stressing that the use of AI and innovation aligned with current trends are essential in university education.

During his term, President Yang left a mark on efforts to expand higher education funding and to overcome the crisis facing regional universities. He achieved the five-year extension of the 'Special Account for Higher and Lifelong Education Support,' which had been scheduled to sunset in 2025, to 2030. He also helped establish a basis for universities' autonomous tuition-setting and contributed to the nationwide entrenchment of the Regional Innovation-centered University Support System (RISE) project.

In his farewell address, President Yang reviewed the achievements of the past year and forcefully conveyed the direction and key messages for the future of Korean higher education.

He said, 'My greatest satisfaction is having contributed to the extension of the special account, the establishment of the RISE project, and helping the "Seoul National University 10-Universities Project" to be selected as a key national government policy for balanced national development.'

He described this not as the growth of individual universities but as a win‑win strategy for regional universities in crisis and their local communities to survive together.

Regarding the future educational environment, he diagnosed, 'We now stand before a vast historical tide of AI and digital transformation,' and emphasized that, 'As this is a critical period in which education, research, and systems of cooperation with local communities must fundamentally change to survive, each university must demonstrate bold innovation and a spirit of solidarity in the name of "we" rather than "I."'

He did not forget to appeal to political circles and education authorities. Yang appealed, 'Investment in universities is the most certain investment in the future of the Republic of Korea,' and urged, 'Please provide unwavering trust and full support so that the Korean Council for University Education can serve as a true focal point for university development.'

Finally, President Yang concluded, 'Like the saying "Inhyangmanri (the fragrance of a person travels ten thousand li)," I will carry in my heart the hardships, insights, and precious connections shared with presidents across the country and continue to support the advancement of Korean university education wherever I can.'