[New School Network] ⑤ "Jang Je-won and Shim Hyung-rae were alumni?"... 'Yeouido High School' Already Half a Century Old

Growing with Yeouido's History to Become a Prestigious High School
Alumni Contribute to Nurturing Juniors through the Scholarship 'Neoseum Foundation'
Soccer Team Achieves Runner-up in National Tournament... Dedicated to Both Academics and Sports

Editor's NoteSouth Korean society is a vast networked society. Connections through academic ties, regional ties, and blood relations often intertwine and influence actions. Recently, academic networks have drawn particular attention. With the launch of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration, names like Harvard University, Seoul National University Law School, and Chungam High School have been symbolically mentioned. While these networks sometimes remain mere acquaintances, they can also influence policy decisions. Asia Economy reports on the newly spotlighted high schools and their networks biweekly on Saturdays under the series 'New Academic Networks.' ①Chungam High School ②Kyungmoon High School ③Mapo High School ④Gyeonggi High School⑤Yeouido High School

Yeouido High School, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is located in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, as its name suggests. It opened in 1973 as an all-boys high school, but in 1979, its regulations were revised to become coeducational. However, in February 1985, the girls' classes were abolished, and it reverted to an all-boys school. Over approximately six years, spanning the 5th to 11th graduating classes, coeducational graduates were produced. The reason a woman currently serves as the president of the Yeouido High School Alumni Association is because of this history.

A prominent political figure from Yeouido High School is Jang Je-won, a member of the People Power Party and so-called 'Yun Hae-gwan' (core associates of President Yoon Seok-yeol), who graduated in the 11th class. Jang is considered one of President Yoon's closest aides, supporting him from his political debut through his presidential victory. When President Yoon resigned as Prosecutor General and entered politics, Jang selflessly supported him, as President Yoon was unfamiliar with Yeouido's political customs. Later, Jang served as the chief of staff for the president-elect, handling practical tasks from personnel appointments to organizational structuring of the transition team. After the transition team ended last year, he returned to the National Assembly and formed the study group 'National Sympathy,' which included 65 of the 115 party members, placing him at the center of party power. During the last party convention, he formed the so-called 'Kim-Jang (Kim Ki-hyun and Jang Je-won) alliance,' contributing to Kim Ki-hyun's election as party leader.

Another political figure is Geum Tae-seop, a former member of the Democratic Party, who graduated in the same year as Jang. The fact that Jang and Geum were high school classmates was not widely known to the public, as they belonged to different parties and rarely crossed paths in the National Assembly. However, when Geum announced his departure from the Democratic Party in October 2020, Jang posted on his Facebook, "As a friend, I first feel sorry that I could not be with Tae-seop during the painful times he went through," which became a social and political issue. Despite the harsh battleground of the National Assembly, Jang publicly offered comfort as a high school friend. He described Geum as "a politician who thought deeply and knew right from wrong well."

Geum is known in political circles as a politician who speaks his mind. In mid-April, at a forum hosted by 'Reflection and Exploration,' he expressed his intention to establish a new party. Attention is focused on whether he can realize a 'third force' ahead of next year's general election.

Park Yong-chan, chairman of the People Power Party's Yeongdeungpo-eul district committee, and Park Hyun-woo, a Yeongdeungpo-gu council member from the same party, are also alumni of Yeouido High School. Park Yong-chan, a former broadcast journalist, served as anchor for MBC's 'News Desk' and host of '100-Minute Debate.' Park said, "I am working hard for the development of my alma mater, such as securing budgets for building a skywalk and improving the soccer team's cafeteria."

Prominent Alumni of Yeouido High School. (From left) Geum Tae-seop, former National Assembly member (lawyer); Moon Hong-seong, President of Doosan; Shim Hyung-rae, comedian; Lee Ki-sik, Commissioner of Military Manpower Administration; Lim Jin-mo, popular music critic; Jang Je-won, National Assembly member; Jeong Seung-bae, soccer player (Hannam University); John Lee, former CEO of Meritz Asset Management; Choi Chang-won, CEO of SK Discovery; Han Cheol-ho, CEO of Millet and Chairman of the Foundation. (Names are listed in alphabetical order. Photo of player Jeong provided by the Korea University Sports Council)

In government circles, notable figures include Lee Ki-sik, Commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration; Kim Geon, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Korean Peninsula Peace Negotiation Headquarters; Lee Seok-bong, Deputy Mayor for Economy and Science of Daejeon City; and Shin Dong-won, spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice. Commissioner Lee participated in the 'Defense Forum with the People,' which was led by personnel from President Yoon's campaign during his presidential candidacy. He is also known for commanding the Zaytun Unit as a naval operations commander, successfully transporting combat supplies from Korea to near Iraq.

Yeouido High School exterior. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

In the business world, the connection between SK Group and Yeouido High School is intriguing. Choi Chang-won, Vice Chairman and CEO of SK Discovery, graduated from Yeouido High School. Choi is the youngest son of the late Choi Jong-geon, founder of SK Group, and cousin to Choi Tae-won, chairman of SK Group. Ahn Jae-hyun, CEO of SK Chemicals, and Kwon Ik-hwan, outside director of SK Bioscience, are also alumni. The media has described this as 'SK men from Yeouido High School gathering.'

Alumni from the business sector are well known for their affection for their alma mater. Han Cheol-ho, CEO of the outdoor brand 'Millet,' established the 'Neoseom (Yeouido) Foundation' scholarship foundation with fellow alumni. Han, currently the chairman of the foundation, donated 550 million KRW in scholarships in 2011. Joo Won-seok, chairman of Mediawill Group, famous for the lifestyle magazine 'Flea Market,' donated 100 million KRW in 2006 for juniors. The Neoseom Foundation continues to see active participation from alumni. According to the alumni association, scholarships are awarded annually to 30-40 students.

Other business figures from Yeouido High School include Moon Hong-sung, president of Doosan; Kim Byung-jin, chairman of Kyungnam Pharmaceutical; and Seo Jang-won, president of Coway. John Lee, former CEO of Meritz Asset Management and known as a 'leader of the retail investors,' also graduated from Yeouido High School.

Yeouido High School 'Neoseom Foundation' Scholarship Award Ceremony. Photo by Neoseom Foundation

Jo Kyung-won (42nd class), a former student council president and currently the secretary of the general alumni association, said, "On 'Career Experience Day,' seniors from various fields come to give lectures. They have also contributed greatly to improving school facilities and environment, and through the 'Neoseom Foundation' established by alumni, scholarships are awarded annually." Jo added, "We plan to activate overseas alumni networks in the future."

Club activities are also active. The Yeouido High School Alumni Association organizes hiking club 'Neoseom Mountaineering Club,' marathon club 'Neomacle,' golf clubs 'Neoseom Foundation Golf' and 'Neoseom Golf Club,' male chorus 'Yeouido High School OB Male Choir,' art club 'Neoseom Art Society,' and soccer club 'Yeouido High School Alumni FC,' among others.

With the interest of seniors, Yeouido High School has established itself as a prestigious school. Hwang Hye-shin, an alumni association president and professor at Sangmyung University (9th class), explained that Yeouido High School shares its history with Yeouido itself. Hwang said, "Based on memories from the early 1980s, it was a school with excellent academic performance. While a school being academically strong does not necessarily mean it is prestigious, and the entrance exam systems then and now differ, back then, the number of students admitted to Seoul National University was the standard for prestige. By that measure, about 50 to 75 students were admitted annually, and in some years, including repeaters, 100 students entered Seoul National University. By those standards, it was the top prestigious high school."

'Coeducational Yeouido High School' Female Alumni... Active in Academia, Law, and Medicine

Although it is now an all-boys school, many female alumni who graduated during the coeducational period are actively contributing to society. These include Professor Shim Jeong-yeon of the Pediatrics Department at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Professor Ra Seon-young of Oncology at Yonsei Cancer Hospital, Professor Won Hye-seong of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Seoul Asan Hospital, Judge Ye Ji-hee of Incheon District Court, Professor Yoon Ju-hyun of Seoul National University College of Fine Arts, Professor Eom Jeong-ae of Ewha Womans University Department of Early Childhood Education, and Professor Park Seong-yeon of Ewha Womans University Business Administration Department.

In academia, notable alumni include Lee Gwan-young, Vice President and Dean of Graduate School at Korea University; Professor Son Hun of Construction and Environmental Engineering at KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology); Professor In Nam-sik of the Korea National Diplomatic Academy; and Professor Jo Young-joo of Applied Statistics at Konkuk University. Notably, Professor Son received the Presidential Order of Service Merit in 2018. In the legal field, former Seoul High Prosecutor General Cho Sang-chul is an alumnus.

In the cultural sector, Yeouido High School alumni have also made significant contributions. Comedian Shim Hyeong-rae, who brought great laughter to the public in the 1980s with 'Young-gu is gone~,' singer Kim Beom-ryong, beloved for 'Wind Wind Wind,' actor and professor Shin Hyun-joon, actor and singer Son Ji-chang, announcer Im Baek-cheon, and influential popular music critic Im Jin-mo all graduated from Yeouido High School.

Critic Im described his alma mater as a place where students excelled both academically and athletically. He said, "When I graduated, many students went to so-called prestigious universities. So, even now, Yeouido High School is known as an 'emerging prestigious high school.'" He added, "I think this is the result of teachers' passionate dedication to education." Regarding his most memorable school experience, he said, "The sports day held at Hyochang Stadium stands out the most."

In the media sector, Kim Seung-ryeon, deputy head of Channel A's news division, and Yoon Kyung-min, head of LG HelloVision's news bureau, are active.

The motto of Yeouido High School is the pursuit of truth, self-reliance and self-discipline, and cooperation and service. Photo by Dongju Yoon doso7@

Yeouido High School, which pays great attention to students' athletic activities to the extent of holding sports days at venues other than the school playground, is also famous for its soccer team. The soccer team was runner-up at the 2021 Busan MBC National Tournament and consistently achieves good results in national competitions, such as reaching the quarterfinals or better at last year's Baekrokgi National Tournament.

Notably, last year, Jeong Seung-bae, a player from Yeouido High School's soccer team, was selected for the South Korean men's under-20 (U-20) national soccer team, enhancing the prestige of his alma mater's soccer club. In the second match of Group E qualifiers for the 2023 AFC (Asian Football Confederation) U-20 Asian Cup against Mongolia, Jeong contributed significantly by scoring a skillful turning shot, helping Korea crush Mongolia 7-0. Another alumnus, Song Ui-young, who joined a professional team in Singapore and has demonstrated outstanding skills, also hails from Yeouido High School's soccer team. Coach Hwang Deuk-ha of the soccer team revealed the school's full support. In an interview with 'Osen,' Coach Hwang explained, "Usually, soccer teams are located on the outskirts of schools to separate players from general students, but at Yeouido High School, the building used by the soccer team is at the main gate." He added, "We are continuously seeking a model where general students and soccer players can coexist."

Congratulatory message for Yeouido High School's 50th anniversary at Yeouinaru Station in Seoul. Photo by Alumni Association

[History of Yeouido High School]

Yeouido High School (Principal Cho Hyun-jun), established in 1972, is a public high school located in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. This year marks its 50th anniversary. The school is surrounded by the National Assembly Building, KBS Broadcasting Station, a financial business district dense with financial industries, Yeouido Park, and the Han River Citizen's Park, forming a large green area. Under a pleasant learning environment, it has produced various figures in politics, government, academia, culture, and sports. It has received numerous accolades, including the Seoul Science Excellence School Award in 1993, 'Excellent School' designation in the 2001 high school evaluation, Prime Minister's Award for Volunteer Activity Excellence in 2008, selection as a leading school for the high school credit system in 2018, and the Ministry of Education's Award for Excellence in College Entrance Exams and Admissions in 2021. Alumni support juniors in every way through the scholarship foundation 'Neoseom Foundation.'

[Interview with Alumni Association President Hwang Hye-shin]

The alumni association is preparing various commemorative events for the 50th anniversary of their alma mater this year. President Hwang said, "This year, we plan to hold the 50th anniversary event on the 20th, along with the 'Han River Love Walking Contest.' We initially planned a separate event, but due to limited preparation time and because the largest number of alumni (about 300-350) participate in the walking contest, we decided to hold it on that day." She added, "Although the event itself will be brief, we have been promoting and encouraging participation through various events for three months. We set the slogan as '50 Years Illuminating Wisdom, 100 Years Leading the Future,' which is used on all event posters, stickers, and souvenirs. We are also collecting photos from alumni to produce a 'Memories Photo Exhibition' video and have installed billboards at Yeouinaru Station. We are running an event where current students and alumni take commemorative photos in front of it and send them in to receive prizes. The response from alumni has been very positive."

President Hwang continued, "We are also receiving sponsorships mainly from alumni for the 50th anniversary event, and many people are helping. This is the event we care about the most. We want the 50th anniversary to be celebrated not only by alumni but also with all current students and the faculty who work hard for the school. We are preparing souvenirs for them. Most of the sponsorship funds will be used for souvenirs for current students and faculty. While the general alumni association has continuously supported some students with scholarships, supported the soccer team, and improved facilities, this is the first time souvenirs will be given to all students and faculty, making this event very meaningful." She emphasized, "After this event, we plan to hold career lectures for current students. Especially, we are planning a program that closely supports career and employment by connecting graduates interested in various fields with current students in a mentor-mentee format."