An underground singer, professional Muay Thai boxer and president of a labeling company, was yesterday elected chairman of the student council of the country's prestigious Seoul National University.

Hwang Na-yol, a 29-year-old religious studies major, garnered about 46 percent of votes to beat other candidates who have student activist backgrounds.

"The outcome reflects the students' yearning for something new, which fortunately my camp was able to deliver," Hwang said after the results were announced.

"I hope to contribute to making fellow students at Seoul National University proud of our school."

Calling themselves nonactivists, Hwang and his running mate Song Dong-gil made a list of unique campaign pledges: a withdrawal from Hanchongryeon, a radical umbrella body of student councils, a ban on outdoor rallies in a plaza in front of the main library building, a special monthly leave for female students and a promise not to graduate until they realize these pledges.

Hwang boasts a long list of unusual experiences. Born in 1977 in Seoul, he entered the graphic design department of Handong Global University in 1996, but switched to medical school at Korea University two years later. After finishing his military duty as a member of the Marine Corps, Hwang settled with the department of religious studies at Seoul National University in 2000.

Apart from being a university student, Hwang is the lead singer of an underground band NOL, which has released an album, and president of a music label"Youmind" as well as an online game company Xspace.

April 13, 2006
SNU PR Office