An alumnus residing in Southern California, and a graduate of one of Korea’s top universities, has made a cumulative gift of $3 million to honor his alma mater.
Businessman Hyo Sang Lee, who owns an aircraft modification company operating between Southern California and Maryland, recently donated $2 million to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Seoul National University (SNU). This donation follows his previous gift of $1 million in 2020, bringing Lee’s total contributions to his alma mater to $3 million.
The allocated funds are earmarked for the establishment of a memorial dedicated to the late Professor Cheol Soo Kim, with completion anticipated in 2025. The amount of the fund is expected to increase, as Lee is said to be considering additional donations in anticipation of higher construction costs.
Professor Kim, who taught physics at the university from 1960 for 17 years, was Lee’s academic advisor during his undergraduate and graduate studies, according to SNU.
Lee donated as a way to repay the favor of the late professor, whose teaching helped Lee earn not only his bachelor’s and master’s degrees but also his doctorate in the United States.
During the donation ceremony, Lee recounted his journey, “Arriving in the U.S. with just $600, I faced numerous challenges in my studies, and my wife majored in computer science while raising a baby, so she could get a job at a government agency. Such efforts and hardships led to today’s donation.” Lee stressed that he hopes it will contribute to SNU’s academic integration.
After completing his master’s degree, Lee moved to Pennsylvania with his wife, Soo Ok Bae, where he earned a Ph.D. from Lehigh University and taught for a time in Canada as a professor before embarking on a full-fledged entrepreneurial journey by establishing a research business. In 1990, he expanded his business into manufacturing, supplying hardware for upgrading and retrofitting helicopters and airliners, and is now reportedly the leading company in the field.
The Kim Cheol-soo Memorial Hall, honoring the late professor, is planned as a four-story structure adjacent to the central library on SNU’s Gwanak campus.
The building’s underground level is designated as a student space featuring an ‘Idea Factory’ and a 3D printer room. The first to third floors are set to include laboratories, conference rooms, and a networking lounge, and the fourth floor will house space for collective research clusters, among other facilities for students and researchers in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
SNU presented a plaque of recognition to Lee and his wife, at the groundbreaking ceremony on November 28, 2023.
“The construction of the Kim Cheol Soo Physics Building at SNU Commons, where the university seeks communication and integration between disciplines through the opening and interaction of new studies, is of great significance, and Dr. Hyo-sang Lee’s generous donation is the cornerstone of this initiative,” said Hong Lim Ryu, the President of SNU.
“This donation not only honors Dr. Lee’s mentor but also reflects the donor’s wish that professors and students have a true teacher-student relationship that goes beyond simply exchanging knowledge,” said Hyung Do Kim, the Department Chair of Physics and Astronomy.
BY NICOLE CHANG, HOONSIK WOO [chang.nicole@koreadaily.com]
