Proud graduates of Seoul National University, Ph.D., Master's, and Bachelor's!

I deeply congratulate you on your graduation.

Appreciation and gratitude, memories of many encounters, the tension of standing at a starting line, moments containing both excitement and apprehension about the future, I think these are the timeless experiences shared at commencement ceremonies. Thinking again on the meaning behind this crossroad between past moments and the upcoming future, I extend my deepest congratulations and encouragement to you, graduates, the star of this special moment.

There were probably moments of adversities and fulfillments layered in the days you’ve spent studying and researching, to be able to stand here today. It is even more meaningful that you have achieved this success while enduring through the COVID-19 pandemic. To adapt to the accelerated future, you have been working hard by broadening your experiences and to taking on challenges. The diverse skills you have accumulated by overcoming these difficulties are your unique assets that will shine in your future.

As you celebrate today, remember to express your gratitude and to share your joy with those who have supported you with love—your family and friends, the professors who have taught and nurtured you, and the staff members who have supported your activities throughout the campus. Above all, I hope you deeply cherish the expectations of the country, the society, and the people of Korea, who have supported Seoul National University on the basis of trust, so that you may study and research.

To my beloved graduates,

Now Seoul National University has become your alma mater. From now on, in society, you will express and practice the identity and values you have formed here. The “Values of Seoul National University,” that we have aspired to share as an academic community, will now be realized in the global stage through your contributions. As graduates, you are Seoul National University’s messenger and symbol. If truth has grown into your light here, now spread that light far into the world. If, in the process of seeking the truth, you have discovered the seeds of hope and the possibility of happiness, now share that hope and happiness with more people.

Today, Mr. Kim Jun-koo, the CEO of Naver Webtoon, has joined us as a special guest to congratulate your commencement. About 20 years ago, just like you, Mr. Kim stood at a new starting line. After graduation, Mr. Kim has pioneered a new field, demonstrating to us all, the power of hope and passion. When webtoons, now a big culture, were at its infancy, and now-famous webtoon artists were once unknown with uncertain futures, it is Mr. Kim Jun-koo who sowed and cultivated the seeds of webtoon in Korea together with them. And now, Mr. Kim is spreading K-webtoon beyond Korea and into the world. I hope that all of you graduating today will also believe in your ability and potential, and boldly venture into the world. There, you will find your happiness, and hope which you will spread to all.

To you graduates, the future of us all,

I trust that even as you step out into society, you will not lose the sense of pride that comes with being a part of Seoul National University. This pride is different from arrogance or self-praise—it embodies a passion for pursuing universal values. The title of being a Seoul National University graduate is not a label for self-promotion, but a qualification that represents our pride in the value of learning and contribution that opens doors to the future. I hope you live up to that qualification by not settling for comfort but instead leading the way in pioneering an uncertain future. Develop the insight to look more broadly and further, to illuminate our collective future, and fully utilize your honed abilities to realize the common good. Your alma mater will always support you, and be proud of you.

Even though you leave your beloved campus today, the gates to Seoul National University will always be open to you. When your experiences in the field spark a desire for more learning, when you need the wisdom and guidance of mentors who have once awakened the meaning of maturity in you, or when you feel nostalgic for the memories on campus, always feel free to return to the campus of Seoul National University. As an 'academic community leading the era of great transformation,' Seoul National University will continue to innovate and grow, becoming a source of pride for both you and the entire nation.

To you graduates, who have walked the road of learning with resilience,

I once again congratulate and support your graduation and your new and brighter journey. I wish your future to always be filled with both great and small moments of fulfillment.

Thank you.

This speech was given by Dr. Yoo Hong-lim, Presdient of Seoul National University, at the 78th Commencement Cemerony. The speech was given in Korean, and was adapted to English by The SNU Quill's editorial staff. --Ed.