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One of the best universities in North Korea

Dong-A Ilbo (South Korea Newspaper, 2011-04-21)

Founded in October last year, historic PUST (Pyongyang University of Science Technology) in Pyongyang, whose catch praise are “All instruction in English” and “Advanced Academic Education” became one of the best universities in North Korea and it is very competitive to enter. Most of the applicants came from Kim-ill-Sung University and Kim Chaek Collage of Engineering, which are prestigious schools in North Korea, and also best of the best high school students came from Pyong-yang, Won-san, Ham-hung and elsewhere.

The president of PUST, Jingyeong Kim (The president of Yanbian University of Science & Technology in China.) told through an interview with Yonhap News, “Regarding their excellent English proficiency and learning mind, the professors like the students and Wesley Brewer a professor at Harvard Business School said that they were the best among many students whom he has been teaching.”

“There several changes were made such as internet allowance and to watch CNN News to the professors since the school is open” and “We emphasized the necessity of the internet access for the students for their thesis preparation and for the professors and the government accepted it.” Dr. Chan-mo Park, (76, the former president of POSTECH in South Korea), the chancellor of PUST said.

“North Korea has strong theories in studying, but industrialization and commercialization of knowledge are weak. So PUST aims to contribute to North Korea’s economic development and to international cooperation through the practical knowledge which is gained through industrial complex and study and ultimately raise international reputation of North Korea.” he said.  

“Even though this is a beginning stage which is not settled everything yet, we believe that we will have competitive power soon. And also we put focus on both theory and practicality in education which are important to establish industrialization of the knowledge.” he also said. We expect PUST and its reputation to grow by reaps and bounds because of the qualified candidates, which the most of them come from Kim-ill-Sung University and Kim Chaek Collage of Engineering after their first and second years and also there is a rumor which brings more students to PUST, that students in PUST can eat as much as they can.”     

PUST is the only private university in North Korea and offers three majors; The School of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences (AFL), the school of Information and CommunicationTechnology (ICT), and The school of industry and management (IM). Last fall, we selected 60 graduate students and 100 undergraduate students who are living in Pyong-yang and also selected 100 undergraduate students nationwide. 

The most graduate students in ICT part came from Kim Chaek Collage of Engineering and last of them came from Kim-ill-Sung University in the department of Agricultural engineering.

So far 32 Faculties including, Dr. Chanmo Park (USA, a former professor of Computer Science in The University of Maryland and Dr. Byeong-don Joo (Canada, Seoul National University), Dr. Bruner(USA. MIT) are appointed from 5 countries of USA, China, The Netherlands, Canada, and England and the numbers will increase up to 47 faculty members if last of the appointed faculties join from Germany and Australia.

10 professors from South Korea are waiting permission from the South Korea government.  “South Korean professors will be very beneficial to the students because of the same language and culture which they can understand the students deeper. It will also cultivate scientific exchange between North and South” he said. In this reason, he urged the Korean government to give them permission as soon as possible.

He said that the students and the staff members often ask, “When they are coming?” and also faculty members says, “Because of the broken relationship between North and South, it would be good if the South Korean professors teach in PUST so that they could build up the relationship.”  

Dong-A Ilbo News Team