Warm new year’s greetings to all members of the POSTECH community. Though it has been over a thousand years since the name Yeongil (迎日) – meaning welcoming the sun – was established, I anticipate a special sunrise over Yeongilman Bay as we take our first steps toward POSTECH 2.0 in the new year.
  Back in the olden days, people seemed to have believed that everything began anew each day with the sunrise. When darkness fell, the day was archived into the past and everything began anew with the rising sun the next day. It appears that people lived each day with the spirt of Ilshin wuilshin (日新又日新) – daily renewal, constant progress. 
  I hope that this year will be a year of rebirth even for POSTECH who has witnessed the sun rise over 13,500 times since opening its doors. No matter how colorful the past, past glories will remain in faded photo albums if future is dark. To avoid this fate, let us reflect on the hearts of those who founded and built this school and work together to straighten the leaning pillars and mend the broken bricks.
  While many speak of university reform, it usually lingers as an empty promise. Rather than colorful slogans or grand aspirations, reforms happen through concrete actions. Reform as a concept may be vague or complex, but reform as an action is simple: All it takes is the commitment to forgetting yesterday and beginning anew today. 
  According to last year's World Economic Forum report, when asked whether universities are adequately preparing the future workforce, 96% of professors answered yes, while only 41% of students and 11% of employers agreed. It is unclear which side answered closer to the truth, but expecting universities to voluntarily change remains a challenge, both at home and abroad. However, in this era of great revolution of ubiquitous technology spill-over across all areas – including artificial intelligence – a university that remains unchanged will surely lag behind and deteriorate. The reality before us is that a New Year's address cannot be filled with just well wishes.
  We look ahead standing at the starting line of change. Our finish line seems out of sight and the path ahead seem rough. However, I believe that POSTECH possesses the capacity to fulfill our calling when all members share the will to become the best university in our own way, not by imitating others. 
  2024 will mark the inaugural year of POSTECH 2.0, which will enable students to engage in self-driven learning in an educational environment without boundaries of majors, space, or time. Professors will freely conduct research using ample space and state-of-the-art facilities, and be treated with global standards commensurate with their achievement. With extreme concentration of resources in metropolitan areas, POSTECH will instead turn our eyes beyond our borders, open its doors to the world, and aspire to be a truly global institution.
  Like the sun that breaks the deep darkness of winter and rises with the light of dawn, may a brilliant excitement for a new beginning find a place in all of our hearts. My best wishes for a year filled with health and happiness for each of you and your loved ones.