Mokpo National University, located in the representative harbor city of South Jeolla Province, plans to continue its lead in oceanography and to take a lead in the promotion of medical science in the region.

“South Jeolla Province, despite its 1.9 million population, is yet the only one without a college of medicine,” said Ko Seok-kyu, 54, president of MNU.

“We, as an educational leader in the area, shall co-work with the local community to establish a hub of medical studies here.”

The school has already taken the lead in the pharmacy field as its newly established College of Pharmacy is to kick off in the spring semester 2011.

“It is ironic that South Jeolla, with its relatively high senior population, should be insufficiently equipped with medical and welfare infrastructure,” said Ko.

Also, the province has a conspicuously low number of doctors and oriental doctors, despite its complicated geography due to the numerous inhabited islands and islets, posing a difficulty for its aged residents, he said.

“Our school is to play a key role in making the province a hub health and medicine service, not only to attract outstanding students but also to contribute to the region as a national university.”

The existence of a local pharmacy and medicine school will also greatly boost the general image of the school, he added.

The school master’s plans were further boosted by President Lee Myung-bak’s pledge during his presidential campaign back in 2007 to build a medical college and affiliated university hospitals in the area.

“Our future potential, such as increasing the students’ quota in the coming years or establishing a medical school, will all depend on how we manage the first year for the college of pharmacy,” the school head also said.

The university has thus picked up its strength in the oceanography field to gain a competitive edge against other colleges.

“MNU has a leading stance in the study of oceanography and related sciences,” said Ko.

“Our pharmacy school will focus on developing new medicines, based on the marine fauna and flora, an unprecedented attempt by any other pharmacy schools or departments.”

MPU, vowing to become a “leader in a neo-maritime age,” presently manages a number of ocean-related academic centers, including the unique Solar Salt Biotechnology Research Center and the Mud Flat Research Center.

MNU also includes the school of mechanical engineering, naval architecture and marine engineering, which won the second place in the national ranking earlier this year.

The study of offshore wind energy is another power of the seaside school.

The government, in April this year, has announced its long-term plan to support and promote the offshore wind energy industry as one of the key projects of green growth.

The use of the new energy soared by 80 percent last year and is expected to expand by a yearly average of 45 percent until year 2015, according to school officials.

The school, together with the city, also has a decades-long history and an extensive database in other related fields of study, such as maritime culture, environment and other social sciences, Ko said.

“In an age in which the entire world eyes the ocean as an unknown source of natural resources and power, MNU already has taken a step ahead,” he said.

“What we now need is active support from the state and government in order to take a further leap and to contribute to our national competitiveness.”

Despite these positive aspects, however, the school is preparing itself for a potential upcoming crisis, the school head added.

“The population of school age in South Jeolla will be cut by half by year 2020, imposing a threat on our school,” he said.

“However, by properly using our rich natural and academic resources, we may overcome the difficulties and survive.”

With such crisis in consideration, the school adopted back in 2006 a long-term motto called “Move 2020,” advocating its will to survive the expected 2020 crisis and to open up a new era in which MNU’s values will be appreciated, the president explained.

“I am glad to have led on the first part of our project, which is the kick-off of the pharmacy college,” said Ko, who will have led the school for a little less than a year.

“Now is the time to see MNU take the next step and become an outstanding leader in the maritime and medical sciences, not only in the region but in the entire country.”

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)