NEW BEGINNING, NEW INSPIRATION
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Pukyong National University Undergraduate Paper Selected as Cover Article in International Journal- Electronic Engineering Majors Yoon Ji-won and Yoo Hye-im Develop High-Performance 3D Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy SensorPukyong National University (President: Bae Sang-hoon) announced that a research paper by Electronics Engineering students Yoon Ji-won (combined master's and doctoral program) and Yoo Hye-im (4th-year student) was published as the cover article in the SCI-level international journal
Pukyong National University to Re-Operate the Only ‘Marine Microalgae Bank’ in Korea- Resumes operation of the 'Marine Phytoplankton Resource Donation and Preservation Institution' after 10 yearsPukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) has resumed the operation of the only 'Marine Microalgae Bank' in Korea after 10 years, strengthening its position as a supporting institution for the marine bioindustry. Pukyong National University has taken over the "Marine Plant Plankton Resource Deposit and Preservation Agency" (Director Professor Shin Hyun-ho) from the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) and has begun full operations as of March. The Deposit and Preservation Agency is a project designated and supported by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to secure Korea's sovereignty over marine biological resources by designating excellent research institutions. Marine plant plankton is composed of various bioactive substances, including carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. It also has the ability to fix carbon dioxide and purify water, making it a valuable biological resource that can be used in environmental problem-solving, biofuel production, and pharmaceutical material production, among other areas. Pukyong National University previously operated the "Marine Phytoplankton Bank," the predecessor of the "Marine Plant Plankton Resource Deposit and Preservation Agency," from 1995 to 2015. During that time, it distributed resources to domestic and international research institutions, industries, and educational organizations about 200 times a year, contributing to national research and development projects and the revitalization of the marine bioindustry. After the retirement of the operating head, the agency was transferred to the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST), a marine research institution. However, with the appointment of Professor Shin Hyun-ho, an expert in microalgae, to the Department of Aquatic Applied Life Science at Pukyong National University last year, the relocation process was initiated, allowing the agency to be re-operated. The "Marine Plant Plankton Resource Deposit and Preservation Agency" is equipped with specialized culture rooms and analytical equipment and is located on the 7th floor of Hanmir Hall at Pukyong National University. Currently, it holds around 500 species (with approximately 1,900 culture stocks) of marine plant plankton. Professor Shin Hyun-ho stated, "We are also establishing a resource search system linked with the resource search and distribution system (MBRIS) operated by the National Marine Biological Resource Center, which will be made public after security checks in April. We will work hard to ensure that domestic researchers can easily access marine plant plankton resources for their studies and that these resources can be applied to related industries." Meanwhile, Professor Shin Hyun-ho is an expert in the classification, physiology, ecology, and application of marine plant plankton and has published over 50 SCI-level papers over the past decade. Notably, he contributed to the recognition of new plant plankton species discovered in Korean waters by naming them after locations in Korea (such as Jeju Island, Geomun Island, Tongyeong, and Gunsan), thus promoting the recognition of these regions in domestic and international academic circles. Last year, he was awarded the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Award for Marine Biological Resources.
Pukyong National University Launches 'Pukyong CEO Academy'- First Enrollment Ceremony Held at Pukyong Convention Hall on the 19th with Participation of Over 60 Local CEOsPukyong National University (President: Bae Sang-hoon) has launched the 'Pukyong CEO Academy,' a top executive program for regional opinion leaders, and held the first enrollment ceremony on March 19th at the Pukyong Convention Hall. The academy, which Pukyong National University has established as an innovative and differentiated global leadership education program, welcomed over 60 regional opinion leaders, including Pukyong National University Alumni Association President Park Se-ho, who is also the CEO of Wooju Sealings Group, Kim Kwang-hwi, Deputy Mayor of Future Innovation in Busan, Oh Eun-taek, Mayor of Nam-gu, Busan, and Lee Seong-rim, Chairman of the Busan Facilities Corporation. These leaders were inducted as the first batch of students. Pukyong National University will host weekly evening lectures every Wednesday for the next year, led by Vice President for External Affairs, Ha Myeong-sin. The program will feature a range of distinguished guest lecturers from both inside and outside the university. The courses will cover topics such as CEO leadership in management and finance, social responsibility and ownership in corporate governance, in-depth liberal arts courses in humanities, sports, and arts, as well as domestic training and onboard seminars. On this day, President Bae Sang-hoon took the lead as the first guest lecturer, delivering a special lecture titled "Pukyong National University with a Dream" to the participants. He emphasized the importance of educational collaboration and industry-academic cooperation between the university and the local community, strengthening networks for the development of both the region and the nation. President Bae Sang-hoon stated, "I expect this to be a precious opportunity for you, the leaders who will drive the future of the nation and the region, to grow as global leaders at our university, and for our university to innovate and leap forward together with you."
Pukyong National University Confirms Lime Peel's Sleep Improvement Effects Comparable to ‘Sleeping Pills’- Research by PhD student Kim Seong-hee Published in Top Alternative Medicine JournalPukyong National University (President Baek Sang-hoon) announced that PhD student Kim Seong-hee from the Department of Food Engineering has published research confirming that lime peel extract has excellent sleep improvement effects in humans. Kim Seong-hee's paper, titled ‘Efficacy and safety of standardized lime peel supplement in adults with sleep disturbance: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, polysomnographic study’(supervised by Professor Cho Seung-mok), was recently published in the international journal (IF: 6.7), which is ranked within the top 5% of alternative medicine journals. Kim Seong-hee, a doctoral student, conducted a clinical study using polysomnography for this research. The results showed that lime peel extract significantly improved sleep indicators, including increased sleep efficiency, total sleep time, decreased sleep latency, reduced wake time after sleep onset, and increased Stage 2 sleep. Notably, the lime peel extract improved sleep efficiency by about 8.5%, a level comparable to well-known sleep medications, demonstrating its remarkable effectiveness. This research has been featured in the Biological Research Information Center (BRIC)'s 'People Who Shine in Korea' and highlighted as a major article in 'NutraIngredients,' a global functional food media outlet, drawing significant attention. Kim Seong-hee, a doctoral student, along with Professor Cho Seung-mok, published a groundbreaking preclinical study on the sleep effects and mechanisms of lime peel extract in the top 5% international journal in the field of pharmacology, *Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy* (IF: 6.9) last year. In this follow-up clinical study, Kim confirmed the effectiveness of lime peel extract. In addition, Kim Seong-hee has been working at Nutra-it, a venture company founded by her advisor, conducting research on the commercialization of lime peel extract. Recently, she has signed Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) with global functional food companies and is in negotiations for the export of lime peel extract. This year, she is also expecting to receive individual recognition for the functional ingredient in domestic health supplements and approval from the U.S. FDA for New Dietary Ingredients (NDI). Professor Cho Seung-mok stated, "Faculty entrepreneurship or research commercialization in research labs with excellent research achievements is a good choice for continuous research and talent development. In particular, industrialization research in the Department of Food Engineering, which has high applicability and practicality, is suitable for developing the practical skills of graduate students, and we will continue to expand industrialization research in the future."
Pukyong National University Opens ‘Department Room’ for 1,000 College of Liberal Studies Students- The "College of Liberal Studies Open Lounge" opens on the 19th at the 2nd floor of the Academic Information Center.Pukyong National University (President: Bae Sang-hoon) held the opening ceremony of the ‘College of Liberal Studies Open Lounge’ on the 2nd floor of the Academic Information Center on March 19. The ‘College of Liberal Studies Open Lounge’ is a specially designed space to help first-year students of the newly established College of Liberal Studies explore majors and engage in exchange activities. At universities, first-year students typically have the opportunity to interact with their peers and upperclassmen in their department's room (department lounge) during break times before and after lectures. Pukyong National University, however, created the Open Lounge to provide a similar space for the first-year students of the College of Liberal Studies, whose majors have not yet been decided. The lounge, located on the second floor of the Academic Information Center, which houses the central library, spans approximately 80 pyeong(approximately 264 square meters). The space is available to 896 first-year students of the College of Liberal Studies, as well as 148 major exploration mentors, totaling 1,044 people. The freshmen of the College of Liberal Studies can use this space, equipped with digital devices and seminar rooms, for studying, resting, and discussing. They can also engage in ongoing mentoring with major exploration mentors and guidance professors. Pukyong National University has established the Liberal Studies Mentoring Center to manage freshmen and has assigned a mentoring team of 148 current students and 73 faculty members from various departments for academic guidance. Pukyong National University has opened the Open Lounge for freshmen of the College of Liberal Studies to use freely, and to encourage its use, they are holding an opening event where visitors who participate in a survey will receive a commemorative gift. Professor Choi Ho-seok, the head of the Liberal Studies Mentoring Center, stated, "We will strive to make this space a place where students of the College of Liberal Studies can freely explore their majors, design their careers and future, and find motivation and vitality for their university life."
Pukyong National University, Pusan National University, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research Present International Collaborative Research on Nanophotonics Brain Tumor Diagnosis Strategy- Pukyong National University's Professor Lim Hae-kyun and the team publish review article in the international journal
Pukyong National University Professor Kwon Hyuk-jin’s Research Team, Develops Next-Generation Insulating Material Usable at Low Temperature and Without Vacuum- Expected to Accelerate the Era of Flexible Electronics - Published in International Journal Pukyong National University (President Baek Sang-hoon) announced that Professor Kwon Hyuk-jin (Department of Energy Chemical Materials Engineering) and his research team have developed a new insulating material based on an inorganic-organic hybrid that is attracting attention as a key material for next-generation flexible electronics. Along with Professor Kwon Hyuk-jin, the research team, including Professor Kim Joo-young (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kangwon National University) and Professor Kim Se-hyun(Department of Chemical Engineering, Konkuk University), published the results of this research in the international materials science journal
Pukyong National University-KIST, Develop Wearable Hydrogel Sensor Capable of Generating Electricity from Seawater- Professor Kim Yong-hyun's Team Publishes in International Journal
Pukyong National University and Hanyang University Develop Cutting-Edge Fabric Material that ‘Changes Color When Stretched‘- Professor Kim Dae-seok's team accelerates the practical application of mechanochromic fabric materials usable as visual sensors- Paper published in the Nature sister journal
Pukyong National University Student Publishes Paper in Top International Journal on Instrumentation & Measurement- Master's Student Kim Min-seon Publishes Paper in
Pukyong National University College of Liberal Studies New Students, Attend Opening Assembly for Their Desired Departments- Starting the Exploration of Majors in Full Swing, Operated as an Extracurricular Program Suggested by the Student CouncilCan freshmen who enter university without a major attend the opening assembly? If they can, which department's opening assembly should they attend? Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) has attracted attention by offering an extracurricular program for the freshmen of the newly established College of Liberal Studies, allowing them to attend the opening assemblies of the departments they are interested in, as suggested by the student council. Pukyong National University, under the leadership of the Office of Educational Innovation (Director Won Yong-seon), announced the launch of a new extracurricular program called the ‘Opening Assembly (Department Introduction Session)’ for the first time in the first semester. The program is being held from the first to the second week of March. Previously, the opening assemblies were events where students' unions from each department hosted gatherings to exchange information and strengthen bonds between freshmen and upperclassmen. However, with the introduction of this new extracurricular program, freshmen from the College of Liberal Studies, who have not yet decided on a major, are now able to freely attend the opening assemblies of any department they are interested in. The newly implemented opening assembly extracurricular program received cooperation from a total of 36 departments and majors, and 283 freshmen from the College of Liberal Studies applied to participate. To broaden the opportunities for major exploration, students were allowed to attend multiple assemblies, as long as their schedules did not overlap. Park Ji-woong, the Vice President of External Affairs for the Student Council, said, "I believed it was important for the freshmen of the College of Liberal Studies to experience the atmosphere and culture of various departments. Although the preparation time was short, I am grateful and proud that the students had this valuable opportunity thanks to the active communication and cooperation of the Office of Educational Innovation." The Office of Educational Innovation at Pukyong National University is a newly established organization aimed at improving the quality of student education and enhancing educational outcomes. The office continuously promotes educational innovation through the operation and support of extracurricular programs, as well as the development and quality management of undergraduate curricula and extracurricular activities. It also supports faculty development, teaching and learning, and analyzes and feeds back on educational outcomes. Additionally, the office is working to ensure sustainable development by linking with Glocal University and RISE projects, fostering collaboration between the university and the local community.
Pukyong National University Selected as Certified University for ‘International Education Quality Assurance System’-Certified Since 2014Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) has been selected as a certified university for the 2024 “International Education Quality Assurance System (IEQAS)” administered by the Ministry of Education, maintaining its certification status. The certification is valid from March 2025 to February 2026. The International Education Quality Assurance System aims to enhance the internationalization capabilities of universities by certifying those with high internationalization standards. This certification promotes the attraction of excellent international students and enhances the international competencies of domestic students. The evaluation of universities is based on key indicators, with the illegal stay rate as a fundamental measure. For degree programs, core indicators include dropout rates, the tuition burden on international students, health insurance enrollment rates, and standardized language proficiency levels for international students (both new and continuing). For language training programs, the key indicators are the tuition burden rate, the number of language students per class, health insurance enrollment rates, and the proportion of students holding a Korean language teacher certification. Pukyong National University has consistently received the Education Internationalization Capacity Certification since its first certification in 2014. The university is recognized as an institution with internationalization capabilities, with 1,752 international students from 68 countries enrolled in degree programs, exchange student programs, and language training courses (as of October 2024). With this certification, Pukyong National University benefits from relaxed visa issuance standards and simplified procedures for international students, as well as preferential treatment when applying for the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) program.
Pukyong National University Students to Enjoy ‘1,000-Won Breakfast’-Available from March to December… Menus worth over 5,000 won offered for 1,000 won.Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) provided the “1,000-Won Breakfast” to students on March 4th from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM at the student cafeteria (Daraerak) located at the Nabi Center. The “1,000-Won Breakfast” program is an initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to offer quality breakfast to college students and support healthy campus life. From now until December, the program will offer over 10 menu items, including rice bowls and soups, that typically cost over 5,000 won. With subsidies of 2,000 won from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, 1,000 won from Busan City, and over 1,000 won from the university’s own budget, students will be able to enjoy a breakfast for just 1,000 won each day. Pukyong National University has resumed the “1,000-Won Breakfast” program, which it previously ran from 2017 to 2019 before it was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the program will once again be offered, with a focus on using rice and local agricultural products to provide a healthy diet. Kim Cheol-su, the Director of Student Affairs at Pukyong National University, stated, “We aim to help students develop healthy eating habits by providing nutritious breakfasts, and we will continue to enhance student satisfaction through new menu development and satisfaction surveys to create a happy campus environment.”
Pukyong National University Holds 2025 Entrance Ceremony- 3,608 Freshmen Enroll at the University on the 28th at the University TheaterPukyong National University (President: Bae Sang-hoon) held the 2025 entrance ceremony on February 28 at the University Theater, attended by freshmen, their parents, President Bae Sang-hoon, and Park Se-ho, the President of the Alumni Association. On this day, a total of 3,608 freshmen enrolled, including 520 students from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, 200 from the College of Natural Sciences, 217 from the College of Business Administration, 1,047 from the College of Engineering, 352 from the College of Fisheries Sciences, 242 from the College of Environment and Marine Sciences and Technology, 560 from the College of Information Technology and Convergence, 136 from the Future Convergence Department, 21 from the Division of Global and Interdisciplinary Studies, and 313 from the College Liberal Studies. During the ceremony, Ryu Bo-yeon, a student from the Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, who was the top student in her group, received a full tuition waiver for four years, a scholarship of 1,500,000 KRW for the first semester, and 1,000,000 KRW for every subsequent semester. Additionally, 13 freshmen, including Kim Jae-won (Department of Korean Language and Literature), selected as the top students in their respective colleges, received a full tuition waiver for four years, a scholarship of 1,000,000 KRW for the first semester, and 500,000 KRW for each subsequent semester. President Bae Sang-hoon addressed the new students, saying, "Studying at university will be different from what you have experienced so far. It is important to approach study not as a means to achieve a goal but as part of life itself." He further emphasized, "During your university life, you must find the answer to the question, 'What do you expect from the future?' Set your own expectations and take bold steps to find and realize those answers."
Pukyong National University Strengthens International Cooperation with Uzbekistan Volunteer Work-9-day activities in education and environmental improvement… Korean Wave expansion as private diplomatsPukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) announced that the PKNU Student Volunteer Group successfully completed their volunteer activities in Uzbekistan. The volunteer group, composed of 42 students and 5 faculty members, totaling 47 people, conducted their volunteer work in Tashkent and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from February 3 to 11, for a total of 9 days. This activity was part of the group’s ongoing efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) and practice ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives. The group carried out a range of activities at the Arirang Nursing Home for ethnic Koreans, including preparing traditional Korean food, providing companionship to the elderly, painting murals on aging walls, and applying lime treatment to trees as part of environmental improvement efforts. At Tashkent Kimyo International University and Samarkand State University of Foreign Languages, the PKNU student volunteer group organized advanced Korean language classes and a program to share the spirit of UN-SDGs. They also performed the role of civilian diplomats by promoting Korean culture and the Korean Wave (Hallyu), including K-Pop. In addition, at Samarkand No. 1 Public School (equivalent to elementary and middle schools in Korea), the volunteer group held various activities for students in grades 1 to 9. These included making Kimbap for a K-Food experience, beginner-level Korean language education, health and hygiene education, Taekwondo breaking demonstration, and a small sports day. Kim Seung-min, a representative student from the Department of Economics (4th year), who participated in the volunteer work, shared, “This experience allowed me to experience a bigger world. I believe there was a small ripple of Korea in Uzbekistan, and I hope the two countries can continue to collaborate and develop as international partners.” In Uzbekistan, the volunteer students’ acts of kindness, which alleviated the pain of the forced migration of the Korean ethnic minority, and their sharing of Korean culture were deeply appreciated by the local community. Especially, local media outlets (such as KUN.tv) competed eagerly to cover their activities, and it was praised as a catalyst for the growing popularity of the Korean language and culture in Uzbekistan. A representative from Pukyong National University stated, “This volunteer activity significantly contributed to the students’ holistic growth, including fostering a spirit of service and establishing a global citizenship mindset. We plan to continue promoting volunteer activities and student exchanges with local schools and communities."
Microplastics in PET Bottles Deteriorate Male Reproductive Development Study 'Gains Attention'- Pukyong National University Research Team Publishes in the International Journal