Welcome, new members of Seoul National University,

I sincerely congratulate you on your matriculation. I send my congratulations and gratitude to the family members, relatives, and teachers who have supported you so that you could grow into exceptional, talented individuals. You have all gone to great lengths to yield fruitful results during this difficult time. It is my regret that we are holding an online entrance ceremony, but each member of SNU welcomes our new students more wholeheartedly than ever, feeling all the more accountable for your education.

At this blissful moment of welcoming our new members, I would like us to give thought to what type of place a university is. We human beings have an infinite desire for new knowledge. From the tinest nanoparticles to the universe, from the distant past to the future, from one individual's mind to the world of 7.8 billion humans, humanity has explored new things and written a new history. Our present adversity as well will be overcome with the power of global exploration. Such exploration becomes possible through human reason and passion, enabling us to envision what is neither here, nor now. The university is an institution whose essence is this very creative exploration. The duty of a university is to contribute to the development of human society by conducting new research and cultivating talented individuals who can think and act creatively. Particularly, the 21th century is considered to be an era of uncertainty due to the rapid development of scientific technologies; thus, a deep, new understanding of humankind, society, and nature is demanded that much more. At SNU, our educational objective is to help graduate students grow into innovative researchers and to aid undergraduate students to cultivate the fundamentals of inquiry, experience the joys of learning, and live as creative individuals after graduation, in whatever profession they choose to take up.

In your lives at SNU, I would like to ask that you do three things. First, please enjoy exploration. To achieve this aim, participate actively in exploring. Ask questions about things that baffle you during lectures, and set a goal always to contribute at debates. Bury yourself in books and spend all night having discussions with your friends. Since both theory and action are crucial to exploration, meet a diverse range of people at activities on and off campus and try to experience this complicated world. Unfortunately, the act of exploring may be constrained for a while; however, seeking ways to make creative use of constraints is actually an interesting topic for exploration. When reflecting on my school years, I think I gave up a number of things out of fear of making mistakes and embarrassing myself in front of others. However, physicist Albert Einstein is said to have once remarked, “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” I hope we may all become SNU members who feel proud to be brave enough to make mistakes and applaud each other for having such courage.

Second, please explore yourself. Discover your true self by reflecting on what you like and hate, what experiences you have found joyful or taxing, what you would like to do, and what values you treasure. As whom you like best is yourself, it is important to understand and trust yourself. It is my hope that with such knowledge, you will be able to live with freedom, led by your own heart. Then, you will naturally meet genuine companions who appreciate your true self. Moreover, if you know who you are, you will also realize with whom you would like to associate and in what type of community. I want you to strive for the development of the communities you belong to. In an unripe community, it is hard for our efforts to be respected and for our lives to be realized as we might want. My hope is for you to become genuinely talented individuals who respect and help others as much as you want to be respected and helped, and who grow with your communities, spreading and acting on virtuous values.

Third, my most important request is that you maintain your psychological and physical health. Even if you have grand dreams, nothing can be achieved without good health. Please take good care of yourself in your daily life so that you will not be exhausted by daunting goals or become anxious due to excessive competition. It is my hope that you will eat well, sleep well, and dedicate some free time each day to engage in an enjoyable activity.

I would like to use this moment to speak to your family members as well. Please continue to devote your greatest effort to our students' health. Please be strong buttresses for our students, so that they will not feel lonely in this huge university. Once the university returns to normal again, many students will leave home for the first time, so moral support from family will be the greatest help. At the same time, however, you may want to wait for them while they establish their true identities and build up the courage to face new challenges. They need to encounter challenges in order to realize their true selves. They also need to fall in order to learn how to get back up. Dear friends will hold their hands, and the school will help, too. Our students have infinite potential, so I would be grateful if you could lovingly watch them explore things with freedom and grow into great beings.

It is time for a new beginning. I hope you will grow magnificently at SNU, freely engaging in exploration, discovering your true identities, and forming valuable relationships. You can do great if you remain undeterred, just as you have overcome this plight during the past year. I envision a great future where you all live as content individuals on your own paths, while enriching our communities through both individual and collective efforts. SNU and I will do our best to foster joy and creativity on campus. I once again congratulate you on your matriculation.