Pukyong National University

Pukyong National University Alumni Join Forces to Donate 1 billion KRW to Their Alma Mater

-Alumnus Kang Se-heung Donates to ‘Jang Dong-seok Research Fund’ on the 15th

Pukyong National University (President Baek Sang-hoon) held a donation ceremony on the morning of May 15 in the university headquarters reception room, where alumnus Kang Se-heung (Class of ’58, Department of Manufacturing) contributed to the “Jang Dong-seok Research Fund.”

At the ceremony, Kang Se-heung and his classmate, Professor Emeritus Jang Dong-seok of Pukyong National University, participated and presented a donation certificate for 1 billion KRW in research support funds to the university.

Kang Se-heung, a successful Korean American entrepreneur, currently serves as the head of the William and Margaret Kang Foundation.

After graduating from the former Busan Fisheries College (the predecessor of Pukyong National University) in 1964, Kang Se-heung moved to the United States in 1966, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in food engineering from the University of Washington. In 1983, he founded SKS Trading and developed it into a leading international seafood trading company. For his accomplishments, he was honored with the “Proud Pukyong Alumnus Award” in 2008 and an honorary Doctor of Fisheries Science degree in 2017 from his alma mater.

Recently, he willingly decided to donate a development fund in response to a proposal by Professor Emeritus Jang Dong-seok, who suggested supporting the university’s research capabilities and growth. Kang donated 100 million KRW this year and pledged to contribute a total of 1 billion KRW over the coming years, giving 100 million KRW annually. At the donor’s request, the fund was named the “Jang Dong-seok Research Fund,” and Professor Jang attended the donation ceremony on his behalf.

Accordingly, the donated fund will be used to support research activities of faculty members at the College of Fisheries Sciences―where both Kang Se-heung and Professor Emeritus Jang Dong-seok once served―as well as to provide scholarships for graduate students and contribute to the university’s overall development.

Professor Jang Dong-seok remarked, “I taught students at my alma mater for over 30 years, and even after my retirement in 2005, I have always taken pride in the university’s continued progress. It is truly an honor to have a fund bearing my name. I sincerely hope that Pukyong National University will continue to grow as a leading institution representing both the region and the nation.” <Pukyong Today>