Dear founding chairman Tae-Joon Park

After participating in the unveiling performance for your statue, I was motivated to send you a letter and so I write this now. I did join the ceremonial luncheon as the vice president of POSTECH Alumni Association. While seeing the video about your life, I felt something touched my heart. I had a talk with several people about you Mr. Park, and they let me know that founding POSTECH and POSCO is the biggest achievement of yours. I totally agree with that. Also I believe it’s really hard to find a person with such remarkable achievements.

Only twice did I personally see you Mr. Park. That was first when I was selected as the first exchange student of the first class of POSTECH, which entered the school in 1987, and when there was a meeting with you and other professors who graduated POSTECH and returned to alma mater as professors. However, I have seen you a lot through books, lectures, and videos. Mr. Park you are the person who influenced me the most. I learned “Challenging spirit” and “Mind of loving the nation” from you. And then I came back to Pohang as the professor of alma mater to succeed and develop the soul with POSTECH juniors.

I really believe that the great achievement of the founder is now beginning. Your followers, including myself, have succeeded your spirit and we are getting together and starting something greater from now on. One of your followers, who graduated POSTECH, will prosper in academia and be a great scholar as well as a Nobel laureate, whereas another one will establish an enterprise larger than POSCO. Because of POSTECH and because of people who graduated from POSTECH, humanity will turn over a new leaf as POSCO once did. The education that began in the 1980s will produce something  great likened to what you have achieved.

I really have a conviction that the hope will come true. That’s because you have already planted the challenging spirit against impossibility and embers will blaze up once more. I believe the embers are in the symbol of POSTECH. Furthermore, all the challenges are sowed on the earth of a pure heart which loves the nation and people and will become the tall tree.

I would like to encourage everything you have done. And I heartily thank you for your service. I heard that you are in poor health. Please, be fine and look at the surprising accomplishment your followers will realize in the future.

December 3rd, the 25th anniversary of POSTECH

Even before I send the letter, there was sad news.
My mind is full of sorrow.
The great star has fallen.
However, he is still alive.
The spirit he left will remain in the heart of followers and breathe forever.
Moreover, the spirit will be embers and succeeded to the next generation.
Founder Mr. Park!
Look at us in the heaven.
I’ll follow your spirit and be worthy of your follow.

Professor of ME, and also the first university graduate with summa cum laude
Seong Jin Park