Miami Student

Issue date: 10/9/09 Section: Only Online

One Miami University alumnus has held the highest political office in the United States and Miami can now say it is one step closer to achieving the same accomplishment in South Korea.

Miami alumnus Un-Chan Chung was appointed prime minister of South Korea Sept. 28 after being approved by South Korea's National Assembly with a vote of 164 to nine.

Sooun Lee, director of the Higgin Kim Asia Business Program, explained what this election means for Chung.

"(The prime minister of South Korea) is like the vice president in the United States," Lee said. "Chung is in charge of the cabinet … and also in the case that the president is not available, he takes on the president's role."

To become the prime minister, Chung was first nominated by the president and then approved by parliament.

Lee felt that the president of South Korea, Myung-Bak Lee, had good reason to nominate Chung.

"The president probably nominated him for his integrity as a scholar, integrity as a person, and his capability as a political leader," Lee said.

Chung has remained closely connected with Miami since receiving his master's degree in economics in 1972.

"He really thinks of himself as an alumnus of Miami," said Jenny Callison, director of communications for the Farmer School of Business.

Chung is involved with the Miami alumni chapter in Seoul, South Korea, and has collaborated with Miami's Pacific Rim summer program.

"When we visited Korea, he's been very supportive," Lee said. "He has a passion to teach young minds, especially Miami students, as he graduated from Miami."

Higgin Kim, Miami alumnus from the class of 1969, is the president of Seoul's Miami alumni chapter and has also made large contributions to the Pacific Rim summer program.

"He welcomes us with a very nice banquet reception every May when we visit Korea with the students," Lee said. "Un-Chan Chung used to come to the receptions and bless the students."

Chung last gave presentations to the Pacific Rim summer program students in the summer of 2007. Students that attended said they benefitted greatly from the presentations Chung and the other corporate leaders gave.

Emily Hanks, Miami alumna from the class of 2009, went on the Pacific Rim trip in the summer of 2007. Hanks said she learned a lot from the Miami alumni in Seoul and that it was encouraging to see Miami alumni networking on a global level.

"All the speakers that we heard from were inspirational because they were so accomplished," Hanks said. "It was very, very cool to hear that someone we heard from became the prime minister."

Senior Dan Chung also went on the Pacific Rim trip in the summer of 2007. Dan Chung was familiar with the prime minister before the trip and said he was amazed by the opportunity to hear him speak.

"I was really surprised that he was there," Dan Chung said. "He's one of the busiest guys in the country. I was impressed and respected that he took time to talk to us."

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