Dong-A University Korean Language and Literature Department Holds 'Salnae (Sacheon) Choi Nak-bok Scholarship Award Ceremony'

The Department of Korean Language and Literature at Dong-A University held the '2nd Salnae (矢川) Choi Nak-bok Scholarship Award Ceremony.'

The Salnae (矢川) Scholarship was established with a 100 million KRW departmental development fund donated in 2021 by Professor Emeritus Choi Nak-bok of the Department of Korean Language and Literature. 'Salnae' is Professor Choi's pen name, derived from his hometown, Sicheon-myeon, Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam Province.

The scholarship award ceremony, held on the 15th at the 11th-floor lecture room of the College of Humanities at Dong-A University Seunghak Campus, was attended by Professor Emeritus Choi, Department Head Heo, Professors Eom Jeong-ho, Kim Young-seon, Jeong Gyu-sik, Kwon Myung-ah, and the scholarship recipients.

At the event, seven students from the Department of Korean Language and Literature?Son Da-young, Yoo Chae-young, Jeong Eun-soo, Woo Ye-ji, Lee Woo-jun, Lee Yoon-jae, and Park Se-jun?each received scholarships totaling 5 million KRW.

Professor Emeritus Choi Nak-bok (4th from the left in the front row), scholarship recipients, and professors from the Korean Language and Literature Department are posing for a commemorative photo at the 2nd Salnae (Sacheon) Choi Nak-bok Scholarship Award Ceremony.

At the scholarship award ceremony, Professor Emeritus Choi Nak-bok said, “Like the wise saying that the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing, I quietly intended to donate the development fund with the humble hope that it might help the studies of future scholars even a little.”

He continued, “I hope that those who received the scholarship will, in the future, want to help their juniors when they enter society, and I wish you all good health and diligent study.”

The scholarship recipients collectively expressed, “We are grateful to Professor Emeritus Choi Nak-bok for donating the development fund that allowed us to receive this precious scholarship. Although we still have many shortcomings, we will remember this scholarship and do our best to become proud talents of the Department of Korean Language and Literature when we enter society.”

Professor Choi served as the Director of the Seokdang Academy at his alma mater Dong-A University and nurtured future scholars before retiring in 2013. He currently serves as a council member of the Korean Language Society and as the chairman of the Busan Korean Language Society council.

Over the past 30 years, he has authored seven books, including Research on Joo Si-gyeong’s Grammar, and more than 50 papers, contributing significantly to the study of Korean grammar during the enlightenment period. In recognition of his achievements, he received the Korean Language Society’s ‘Joo Si-gyeong Academic Award’ in 2016 and was awarded the Prime Minister’s Citation last year on the 575th Hangeul Day for his dedication to the development of Hangeul and the Korean language.