Exploring the History of the Campus | Baekgyeong Tower
# What is Baekgyeong Tower? Baekgyeong Tower is a memorial dedicated to our youth who lost their lives at sea while pioneering the distant-water fishing industry of South Korea. On May 15, 1971, the alumni association and student union of Busan Fisheries University built the tower to mark the 30th anniversary of the university's founding. The original name of the tower was the Baekgyeong Memorial Tower. The tower was first erected at the easternmost end of the campus, closest to the Pacific Ocean, which is now the site of the on-campus children's daycare center. The university's distant-water fishing practice started in 1957 when 48 students embarked on a voyage aboard a 103-ton wooden ship, heading to the Keelung Harbor in Taiwan. Among the trainees was Kim Jae-cheol, the honorary chairman of Dongwon Group, who later became a pioneering figure in the industry. In 1958, he became the practicing navigator aboard the Zinam-ho, South Korea's first commercial distant-water fishing vessel, which launched Dongwon Group's success. # Origin of the Name The name of the tower is derived from Baekgyeongho (398 tons), the university's training vessel that pioneered the waters of the North Pacific, the primary stage for South Korea's distant-water fishing industry. The distant-water training vessel, Baekgyeongho, was built in 1964 under the orders of Park Jung-hee, the Chairman of the National Reconstruction Council. The ship was part of South Korea's determination to rebuild the nation through distant-water fishing after the devastation of war. The construction of Baekgyeongho, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, was regarded as a national undertaking, with 0.1% of the national budget allocated for its construction. The nameplate of Baekgyeongho (now housed in the museum) was handwritten by President Park Chung-hee himself. In December 1964, during the launching ceremony of Baekgyeongho, First Lady Yuk Young-soo attended the event. In October 1966, when Baekgyeongho successfully completed South Korea's first distant-water fishing trial operation in the North Pacific and returned, a welcome ceremony was held with high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Chung Il-kwon and several ministers, who came to congratulate the success. It was a moment that marked a significant turning point in South Korea's industrial development. Thus, Baekgyeongto was built to honor those young souls who ventured across the world's oceans and lost their lives on the challenging waves while pioneering the sea to open a new chapter in South Korea's history. The inscription on Baekgyeongto contains these words. The plaque was written by Hyangpa Lee Ju-hong, a renowned literary figure who left numerous works and served as a professor at Busan Fisheries University from 1949 to 1971. 『Honorable Spirits,Can you hear the ringing of the bell echoing through the schoolyard?From the Atlantic, from the Indian Ocean,From the North Sea, from the Pacific Ocean,From all the seas of the world,Fighting against the waves, blooming as flowersBrave heroes of the sea,Your noble will,Planted deep in the hearts of successive generations,Today, we stand here,Becoming the pillar of this tower,Watching over the sea.May your journey be peaceful,For we are the sons of the sea.You, brave sailors,Will forever be with us.』 # A New Home for the Tower The current location of the Baekgyeong Tower, at the foot of Baekgyeong Mountain, next to the Academic Information Center and the Pukyong Convention Hall, was established on May 15, 2011. The tower, which had been standing for many years, was redesigned in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Department of Fisheries (now the Department of Marine Production Systems Management), and was reinstalled at its current location with a completion ceremony. The following inscription is engraved on the plaque of the Baekgyeong Tower. "The Baekgyeong Tower, built on May 15, 1971, was established to honor the souls of those who dedicated their youth to the sea, overcoming harsh working conditions and numerous challenges while navigating the vast oceans in pursuit of their nation's dream of maritime development. The tower was erected in the 30th year of the university’s founding, bringing together the aspirations of the fisheries industry, the university’s professors, alumni, and students. They vanished without a trace in the deep blue waves at the ends of the earth, but we will never forget them. Their noble spirit and unwavering will for the sea live on with the country’s progress, and we hope their pioneering spirit and determination to conquer the sea will forever breathe in the hearts of future generations. On May 15, 2011, to mark the 70th anniversary of the Department of Fisheries (now the Department of Marine Production Systems Management), it was relocated and unveiled under the peaceful sun and stars with the efforts of the alumni." The Baekgyeong Tower is a symbol of the challenging and pioneering spirit of our university and its alumni who led the national task of achieving a "fisheries-based nation" during Korea's modernization period.
