Honoring the Achievements of Former Presidents
Retirement Without a Formal Ceremony
Professors Sungik Kim and Ilmok Kim, who served as the 14th and 15th presidents of Sahmyook University respectively, will officially retire on August 31, 2025.
Sungik Kim (left), former president of Sahmyook University, Ilmok Kim, former president. Sahmyook University
The two former presidents will be awarded the Order of Service Merit, Yellow Stripes, by the government in recognition of their contributions to the advancement of national education upon their retirement.
During his tenure as the 14th president (2016-2020), Professor Sungik Kim laid the foundation for the university's development by securing major government-funded projects such as the Ministry of Education's "ACE+ University Autonomy Capacity Enhancement Project," winning national employment support projects, and tripling the achievements of the university-industry cooperation foundation.
He actively attracted international students, spearheaded major new construction and expansion of dormitories, and improved student convenience facilities, striving to create a student-centered educational environment.
While serving as president, he also held the positions of Senior Vice President of the Korean Association of Private University Presidents and Co-Chairman of the Private University Development Committee, leading efforts to resolve financial issues and improve systems in private universities.
Through consultations with the Ministry of Education and the National Assembly, he contributed to the advancement of national higher education by seeking ways to secure the financial soundness of private universities and strengthen the competitiveness of higher education.
As a researcher, he authored over 30 books and published more than 30 academic papers.
He contributed to international theological research by serving for 12 years as a member of the Biblical Research Institute under the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
He fulfilled his role as an educator by developing teaching materials for lectures and character education, and dedicated himself to community service through domestic and international lectures and free consulting activities.
Professor Ilmok Kim took office as the 15th president (2020-2023) during the unprecedented crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and managed the university's finances and administration in a stable manner.
He achieved the highest-ever performance in fundraising for the university's development fund and successfully passed major government evaluations, including the Ministry of Education's third cycle of the Basic Competency Diagnosis, thereby solidifying the university's financial soundness and administrative system.
He enhanced the university's future competitiveness by establishing new cutting-edge departments such as the School of Artificial Intelligence Convergence, Department of Data Cloud Engineering, and Department of Bio-Convergence Engineering, and by restructuring the undergraduate system.
He led the establishment of the International Society for the Advancement of Academics (ISAA), an academic network connecting 120 Seventh-day Adventist universities worldwide, hosted two international academic conferences, and signed exchange agreements with 60 overseas universities in the United States, Central and South America, Europe, and Africa, expanding the university's international standing.
As an educator, he served as head of the Department of Theology, director of the chaplaincy, and director of the Residential Education Center, dedicating himself to student education and character guidance.
In particular, as director of the Residential Education Center, he practiced true education by living with 1,000 students over 14 years.
He authored and translated 10 books and published numerous academic papers, continuing his path in academia and service through domestic and international lectures and missionary activities.
In accordance with their wishes, no separate retirement ceremony was held for the two professors. They concluded their careers in academia with a modest luncheon with department colleagues on August 21.
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