Choue Young-seek, founder of Kyung Hee University, died on Saturday from chronic illness. He was 91.

Choue had been a pioneer of private higher education in Korea and a life-long campaigner for world peace.

Born in North Pyongan Province, North Korea in 1921, he acquired the earlier form of the university, Shinheung Junior College, in 1951 during the Korean War and transformed it into one of the prominent private colleges in Korea.

Choue proposed and co-founded the International Association of University Presidents in 1965 to facilitate academic cooperation among universities at global level and promote world peace and human welfare through education.

He had been the president and president emeritus of the organization.

Choue had held several other posts that promoted human rights including chairman of the local peace foundation GSC International and the peace association of IAUP.

He has received about 67 awards in recognition of his dedication to the promotion of human rights and welfare, including from the first conference of world anthropologists.

He also led the movement to resume family reunion between North and South Korea in 1982 when he headed the reunion movement representing 10 million family members separated during the Korean War.

In an effort for world peace, he proposed the establishment of the International Day of Peace at the 36th U.N. General Assembly. The U.N. adopted his proposal and announced the U.N. International Day of Peace, which falls on the third Tuesday of every September.

His funeral will be held at Kyung Hee University at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)