SNU graduate Choi Young was the first visually impaired person to pass the second round of the Korean government bar exam since it was instituted in 1947.

Choi started losing his sight when he was a high school senior. Though he could barely read with his thick glasses, he passed the notorious entrance exam for SNU College of Law which only accepts students within top 0.2% of the class. Almost 90% of judges in the High Court and the Supreme Court?of Korea are from this College.

With the devoted support of his parents, Choi had passed the first part of the bar exam in 2007. Nevertheless, his eyesight got worse, and?soon he could only distinguish between light and dark.

But he didn't stop trying.

Studying with audio recordings of law textbooks, he applied for a computerized version of the bar with audio questions for the blind. Although he failed his first attempt, his efforts were not in vain and he succeeded in his second trial.

He thanked his friends and neighbors who voluntarily made audio recordings and helped him to shuttle between his home and gosiwon where he studied.

Choi?noted that he would not be the first blind person to pass the bar exam, if Korea were to provide systematic help to the blind.

"More people could follow in my footsteps. In Japan there is a blind person who has been a lawyer for almost 20 years."

He has only the final interview remaining until he may become the first-ever blind lawyer in Korea.
The ministry will disclose the final result on Oct. 28.

October 23, 2008
SNU PR Office