[New School Network] ① 'Cha In-pyo and Lee Chang-ho were also Yoon alumni?' The prestigious Go and baseball school 'Chungam High School'

Baduk Lee Chang-ho, Baseball Jo Beom-hyeon, Actor Cha In-pyo Alumni
President Yoon Seok-yeol (8th term) Elected, Marking a New Era
Founded in 1969, Established on the Ideals of Diligence, Hard Work, and Responsibility

Editor's NoteSouth Korean society is a vast networked society. Connections based on academic ties, regional ties, and blood relations often intertwine and influence actions. Recently, academic networks have drawn particular attention. The symbolic mention of institutions like Harvard University, Seoul National University Law School, and Chungam High School following the inauguration of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration highlights this. While such networks sometimes remain mere acquaintances, they can also impact policy decisions. Asia Economy will report biweekly on Saturdays a series titled 'New Academic Networks,' focusing on high schools gaining renewed attention and their associated networks.

President Yoon Seok-yeol is an alumnus of Chungam High School, graduating in its 8th class, located in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul. After entering politics, in September 2021, President Yoon visited Chungam High School and expressed his deep affection for his alma mater, saying, "Just as it is said that the sun never sets on the British Empire and that it originated from the football fields of Eton School, I believe the strength behind our Chungam alumni's vigorous activities in society also comes from the baseball field of Chungam High School." At that time, President Yoon shared memories with juniors, noting, "The school has become cleaner than before. During military training classes, we used to crouch and move from here to there."

Chungam High School (忠岩高) was established on March 2, 1969. Its founding philosophy is "Before cultivating intellectuals outstanding in knowledge and scholarship, we will first nurture the qualities of sincere, diligent, and responsible democratic citizens." The kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high schools are all located within the same campus at 5 Gajwa-ro 5-gil, Eunpyeong-gu (Eungam-dong).

Chungam Academy was founded by Mr. Lee In-gwan (李仁寬), who, after over 30 years in education, used his private funds to establish it. The beginning was marked by purchasing 6,000 pyeong of land at San 9-1, Eungam-dong, Eunpyeong-gu, on February 10, 1965. He named the school foundation 'Chungam Academy' after his pen name. Born in Myeongcheon, Hamgyeongbuk-do, and having studied in Japan, Lee In-gwan served as principal of Gyeonggi Technical School and was also the first principal of Chungam High School.

5 Gajwa-ro 5-gil, Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul, Chungam High School. The statue in the photo is of the late Lee In-gwan, the founder of Chungam Elementary, Middle, and High School. Photo by Huh Younghan younghan@

Chungam High School was famous for its Go and baseball teams but had little connection to politics. This is why Chungam alumni actively supported President Yoon when he decided to run for the presidency.

Lee Yong-soon, former leader and executive committee chairman of 'Yoon Chung-mo' (a group of Chungam alumni who love alumnus Yoon Seok-yeol) and the 3rd president of the Chungam High School Alumni Association, wrote in the alumni newsletter 'Chungamin Issue 5,' "Graduates of Chungam High School hold key positions in government ministries, public institutions, and military units. However, no one had ever been appointed at the ministerial level, which was a great regret among alumni. This regret was completely dispelled by alumnus Yoon Seok-yeol of the 8th class." 'Yoon Chung-mo' actively promoted President Yoon's campaign pledges through social networking service (SNS) bands and supported him during the election period.

Having produced a president, Chungam High School drew attention from the presidential transition committee of the Yoon administration. Two notable figures are representative. Kim Yong-hyun, a 7th class alumnus and former Joint Chiefs of Staff Operations Headquarters chief, served as deputy head of the Blue House relocation task force. An alumnus from the 16th class, Ahn Sung-sik, head of the Criminal Division at the Korea Coast Guard, joined the transition committee as a working member of the Economic Division 2. This was the first time a Coast Guard official was included as a specialist or working member in the transition committee.

However, it is unclear whether the Chungam alumni who joined the transition committee had direct ties with President Yoon. A transition committee official stated in a May 8, 2022 interview with , "No one joined the transition committee due to personal friendship or academic ties with the president-elect. All are professionals who have built expertise based on outstanding abilities in their respective fields. Some even feel burdened by the frequent mention of academic ties."

Perhaps because of this, despite having produced a president, the school and alumni consistently refused interviews. They appeared cautious, possibly due to increased internal and external attention. An anonymous alumni association official said, "We are careful with every word to avoid causing any trouble to the president." The current president of the Chungam High School Alumni Association is Kim Kyung-wook, president of Incheon International Airport Corporation and five years junior to President Yoon. He was elected on November 26 last year but recently resigned.

Regardless of the circumstances, attention to Chungam High School alumni has increased under the Yoon administration. On the 12th, the resignation of Yoon Jeong-sik, the designated CEO of KT Skylife, was symbolic. Other notable points include Seo Myung-seok, former CEO of Yuanta Securities, losing the Financial Investment Association chairman election in January, and recently, Visit Seok, director of the National Rehabilitation Hospital, failing to secure the Seoul National University Hospital director position. These cases illustrate that while being connected to the president and Chungam High School can sometimes be advantageous, it can also be burdensome.

Notable Chungam High School alumni in government include Kim Kyung-wook, president of Incheon International Airport Corporation; Kim Yong-hyun, chief of the Presidential Security Service; Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety; Lee Choong-ho, former chief of Jeonnam Police Agency; Jung Jae-ho, ambassador to China; and Cho Jae-ho, director of the Rural Development Administration. Hong Hyun-ik, former president of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy and a Chungam alumnus, was dismissed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 10 for reasons including being appointed by the previous government and conflicting with current government policies.

(From the left) President Yoon Seok-yeol, Kim Min-bae CEO of TV Chosun, Kim Yong-hyun Chief of the Presidential Security Service, Lee Sang-min Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Lee Chang-ho Director of the Korea Baduk Association, Ok Kyung-seok CEO of Hanwha Precision Machinery, actor Cha In-pyo (except for President Yoon, the order is alphabetical).

In the media sector, Kim Min-bae, CEO of TV Chosun; Kim Jeong-ho, CEO of Korea Economic Daily; Lee Jeong-jae, editorial advisor of Asia Economy; and Choi Min-woo, political chief of JoongAng Ilbo, are active. In the business world, Cho Chang-hee, CEO of Asam Asset Management and former president of 'Chungyeohoe' (a group of Chungam High School financial professionals); Lim Kyu-jun, president of Heungkuk Fire & Marine Insurance; and Kim Tae-jun, president of Ourhome, have brought honor to Chungam High School. In academia, Kim Seung-woo, president of Soonchunhyang University, and Park Jong-gu, president of Chodang University, are alumni. In the Go community, professional players Yoo Chang-hyuk and Lee Chang-ho stand out, while in baseball, Cho Beom-hyun, KBO technical committee chairman, and Go Woo-seok, LG Twins player, are notable.

Among them, Minister Lee Sang-min, four years junior to President Yoon at Chungam High School and Seoul National University Law School, is known to have a special connection with the president. On April 14, 2022, reported that a source close to President Yoon said about Minister Lee, "He is the president-elect's most cherished junior. When the president-elect feels troubled or needs someone to discuss matters with, he seeks out this candidate." President Yoon explained his selection of Minister Lee, saying, "As a former judge, he is rare in having accumulated diverse administrative experience. I judged him to be the right person to implement transparent and efficient public personnel and administration with clear principles and predictable standards."

The 'Chungyeohoe,' a Chungam High School alumni group that had drawn attention, disbanded in March last year following President Yoon's election. Members included Kim Gun-ho, CEO of FnGuide; Seo Myung-seok, management advisor of Yuanta Securities; and Cho Jae-min, head of traditional assets at Shinhan Asset Management. The group began in 2005 as a social gathering of Chungam alumni working in securities firms and asset management companies in Yeouido, Seoul, with about 50 participants from securities and finance sectors. The emergence of President Yoon brought media attention, which became burdensome, leading to the decision to disband. At that time, the president was Cho Cheol-hee, CEO of Asam Asset Management.

President Yoon and the 8th graduating class alumni of Chungam High School. (From left) Kim Jeong-ho, CEO of Korea Economic Daily; Kim Tae-jun, President of Ourhome; Jeong Jae-ho, Ambassador to China; Yoon Ki-won, Chief Attorney at Law Firm One (in alphabetical order).

President Yoon's 8th class classmates at Chungam High School include Kim Jeong-ho, CEO of Korea Economic Daily; Kim Tae-jun, president of Ourhome; Jung Jae-ho, ambassador to China; Yoon Ki-won, lead attorney at Law Firm Won; and Shin Yong-rak, attorney at Law Firm Won. Also notable is attorney Yoon, who died in a 'Tesla fire' in an underground parking lot of an apartment in Seoul on December 9, 2020, and was a member of Chungam High School's 8th class.

The academic culture of Chungam High School is 'self-directed learning.' This means students ask and answer themselves what they lack and diligently fulfill their responsibilities without being told. Chungam High School has been implementing this learning method for general students since 1980. It is said that the idea originated from nurturing Go prodigies. Yang Jae-hyo, secretary-general of the Korea Baduk Association and a Chungam alumnus, said, "The school fully supported the development of Go players and created an atmosphere where students could freely play Go." He added, "This environment greatly helped produce the world's top professional Go players." According to alumni, quietly fulfilling one's role is the Chungam spirit.

Go and baseball are Chungam High School's pride. Just two years after its founding, in 1971, it established the country's first Go club, producing dozens of professional players such as Yoo Chang-hyuk 9-dan, Lee Chang-ho 9-dan, and Choi Cheol-han 9-dan, who have won both the Guksu and Myungin titles. The baseball team, founded in 1970, has produced many famous professional players and managers, including Cho Beom-hyun, KBO technical committee chairman; Go Woo-seok, LG Twins closer; and players like Yoo Ji-hyun, Shim Jae-hak, and Park Myung-hwan. Chungam High School has won 10 national championships (1 Cheongnyonggi, 2 Presidential Cups, 3 Golden Lion Cups, and 4 Bonghwangdae Cups), establishing itself as a prestigious baseball school. Actor Cha In-pyo also graduated from Chungam High School.

Newsletter published by the Chungam High School Alumni Association at the time of President Yoon Suk-yeol's election.