Advice from Woosong University’s Honorary President, Woo Nam Gyoon
President Woo is the person who led the economic development of Korea for 36 years, starting his career at Keumyoung Company (LG group) in 1974. He assumed the honorary presidency of Woosong in 2012 and he is now working hard to raise WSU students as competitive global talents.
Q: Why did you choose to work at WSU as the honorary president?
A: I feel like I was meant to come to WSU. I enjoy taking on challenges, overcoming difficulties, and achieving success. The history of Korean electronic products resembles WSU’s history. Now the products of LG Electronics are evaluated as number 1 or number 2 worldwide. But when I was trying to sell LG products back in 1974, nobody recognized LG. We had to promote our products in front of 400-500 dealers to get orders. It was a very difficult time to get through but if we didn’t go through that time, Koreans wouldn’t be leading the world’s electronics industry now.
Referring to past examples, WSU can also make huge improvements. LG Electronics’ annual sales were less than $30,000,000 thirty years ago, but now it has grown to 2000 times that of before. Likewise, WSU can position itself as the university focusing on the Asian perspective. WSU is way more passionate compare to the other universities showing their vision, strategy, and most importantly, the power to implement their vision. Other students take 11 weeks of rest during winter vacation, but WSU students keep studying on those cold winter days. That passion and commitment will make the dream come true.
Q: What is your plan to lead Woosong students?
A: As time passes, the birth rate in Korea will go down and universities will face difficulties in operating because of the decreasing number of students. To prevent the problem, WSU is adding various specializations in order to position itself distinctively. In an effort to train global talents, WSU affiliated itself with Solbridge and other universities, and it also offers various overseas training programs. In addition, I want to create partnerships with companies and position WSU students as prepared, customized talents. WSU and the company CJ Foodville formed a class as part of this project. Students study what you will learn at the first year of working at CJ during the 2nd semester of the 3rd year of their BBA. It reduces the company’s efforts and also increases competency of the students. We invited the CEO and Marketing Manager of CJ Foodville to teach students. “Specialization, Globalization, and Partnership” will be the direction for the future of WSU.
Q: Would you please give us recommendations about the essential activities that we must do in our university life?
A: “Get out of the dream; find the way to get into the real world.” You must be awake to face reality. Fantasy and reality are totally different from each other. The bridge to connect the dream world and the real world, I think, is vision. The key to realize your vision is to implement it. Even if you have a good vision, without implementing it, it doesn’t mean anything. Thus success equals vision plus implementation. (Success = Vision + Implementation). Student should utilize their university years to convert their dreams to visions, and learn the basics to implement the vision. Never give up on your dreams. It all begins from the dream.
Q: Lastly please give some advice to new Woosong students.
A: “You should suffer when you are young. And when you get older, you should share your experience of hardships to the young people.”
In fact if you were not born to rich parents, it’s not very convenient. But you cannot be disqualified for that condition in life. I personally think that I was lucky to be born into a not-that-rich family. I also was raised by normal parents and went to university by myself. If I had not gone through that time, I wouldn’t have challenged the difficult tasks like I did at that time. If you haven’t faced difficulties in your life, you will never know the depth of your life. 
“Never give up on yourself.”
Students who gave up themselves are the most pitiable ones. You don’t need to get a high GPA. If you learn how to try your best all the time, that will be a big asset to you. Nobody can beat the person who prepares and makes an effort. If you stick to what you want to achieve and try your best, you can succeed. I hope our young students realize how precious they are and never give up on their lives.
“Speaking a foreign language is essential.”
In the future you should speak one other foreign language even if you only open a small retail store. When you are communicating with people from other cultures, there is no better way than showing good manners by using their language and understanding their feelings. Confucius says, “Isn’t it a pleasure to study, and to practice what you have learned?” I am also still studying foreign languages. I hope Woosong students will make a consistent habit of studying foreign languages.
Q: Can you tell us about your dreams?
A: My dream is to teach Woosong students well and make them competitive with the students at the universities in Seoul. Woosong students can do it. I think I can surely realize my dream because I had sold TVs, which is a more difficult task than this!
Staff writers Han Byung Jun and Park JaeSeul.
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