Berkley Center

Background: As part of the Education and Social Justice Project, in May 2015 undergraduate student Dana Drecksel interviewed Rev. Benedict Jung, S.J., the executive director of the board of trustees at Sogang University, a Jesuit institution in Seoul, South Korea. In this interview, Father Jung discusses the role of social justice at the university and how students approach social justice issues, as well as his personal responsibility in ensuring these issues are actively addressed. 

I’m not quite sure whether I can answer your questions correctly, or the way you wish me to, but I will try my best. Are you recording?

Yes, I am. And of course, there is no “correct” answer; I just want to get your perspective. So with that, we will start with the first question. How are Jesuit ideals and issues of social justice incorporated into the curriculum and mission at Sogang?

Well, about the social justice incorporated into the mission of Sogang, I think you can find that more quickly translated into English from the website, in the section on “the mission of Sogang.” We say that the education mission is to practice justice and respect human rights and respect the value of life. We are trying to incorporate the whole person education across campus. I think that is how the social justice component is incorporated into the mission of Sogang. So, I don’t know, I mean... I think that is the one thing that I can talk about the incorporation in the mission of Sogang. And then if I move on to social justice incorporation in the curriculum of Sogang... are you going to meet anyone like a professor or anyone who is engaged in curriculum stuff?

Yes, I am going to be speaking with a professor, whom I assume will know a bit about the curriculum, and also with a couple of students.

Okay, good, so you can do a double-check. So I think the front-runner that influences the curriculum at Sogang that has something to do with social justice is called, I believe, the Center for Liberal Arts Education. Actually, that is one of the branches that belongs to Sogang Institute for Whole Person Education. So, I believe you will meet a person from that education, I believe. Umm... I think that is an organization, I believe, and then, according to the purpose of the Center for Liberal Arts Education, there are three different components: first, the creative intellectual; second, service character; and holistic spirituality. So those three components are the pillars for the Center for Liberal Arts Education, which aims to put social justice in students’ lives. Particularly the second component, service character, is quite important, because of the goal of that specific purpose, which is we want to develop in our students: people who are equipped with service character. We want to increase the awareness of social justice and the concern for the underprivileged. That is the first goal. The second goal is that we want to endorse civic awareness, mature civic awareness, that embraces diversity. So those are the two specific goals under the three pillars of the Center for Liberal Arts Education.

And then, if I put it in a more detailed way, I think there are six different courses which are particularly linked to social justice. The first is called “Social Service.” The second is “Practicum of Social Engagement and Practice.” The third is “Human Rights and Justice.” Fourth is “Civil Engagement and Democratic Education.” And fifth is “Understanding of International Development and Cooperation.” Finally, “Going Abroad,” or “Going Out into the World,” which is like an overseas service program. Particularly, the “Understanding of International Development and Cooperation” is corresponding with the project of KOICA. Have you heard of KOICA?

No, I haven’t.

KOICA is like the Korean version of the Peace Corps. I think KOICA stands for, you can look it up on the website, “Korea International Corporation Agency.”

I think those are six particular projects and curriculum that specifically reflect upon the social justice component in the Sogang education.

Are you going to meet anyone from the Center for Liberal Arts Education?

I believe we are trying to set something up. I don’t think we have anything scheduled right now, though we are trying to get something set up.

I think that is some basic information that I can give, but if you look it up, or if you look up anyone up, it is very interesting.

Yes, it is wonderful that you have that here. That is really wonderful.

Okay, second question: how are the students at Sogang actively involved with social justice issues? In what ways and what program implementations?

I think the pioneer of that specific segment that is with students involved in social justice is called Ignatius Center for Human Development. I think you can have more detailed information of that organization [with the person you meet], but I can give some basic information. That center is aiming at incorporating different areas, for instance: social service, spirituality, leadership. Those are three non-curricular areas: social service, spirituality, leadership. The center incorporates those non-curricular programs into one center in order to effectively implement Sogang University’s education goal and mission. Okay? The center belongs to the Office of Campus Ministry. And the director of the Office of Campus Ministry is a Jesuit, so I am not sure if you will meet with him, but anyway, that center has a range of very interesting programs, particularly focusing on social justice.

So first, there are some classes, for instance: social service class. Second…oh, do you remember when I talked about the three different curriculums? One is social service (first one); the second one is practicum of social practice. The first class, “Social Service,” is a two credit class, and it is composed of eight class times, and 30 hours of social service. So there are two different components combined: in class for eight times, and 30 hours which consists of doing social service. So currently, there are two classes; class one has 51 students, and class two has 40 students. Interestingly, class two is conducted in English. And there are five different organizations where I think those students are doing their social services. There is one Catholic Children care center, one district juvenile center, and then another one is students doing their education program for underprivileged children around this area, who are studying middle school and high school. The fourth is what we call Severance Hospital, one of the biggest hospitals in Seoul, or in Korea. And then the district welfare center.

The second, the district juvenile center, and then the last, the district welfare center, those two belong to this... how do you call it... borough, we call it Mapo. This university belongs to the Mapo borough, okay?

And the second class is called “Practicum of Social Participation and Practice.” (I think it is better to say “Practicum of Social Participation and Practice.”)…So, the purpose of this specific project/program is Sogang students are cooperating with local government and university institutes in order to find out problems, and in order to correct structural problems, and finally, to see what roles and responsibilities they can undertake to eradicate those problems. And then, currently, there are 15 students; that class is two credits, and it has eight in-class studies, and there are more than eight practices outside of class. It is an interesting thing.

I don’t know whether you have this one. Secondly, they have social service certificates, something like that... I’m not sure if you have it in the States. So, umm... I think there are four different levels of social service certificates. So depending on the level of service students can do, they are given four different categories of social service certificates. So currently, around 360 students have earned the certificate. In a broader way, there are two different categories: social service master, and social service leader. So, under the social service master, there is a beginners’ level and an advanced level. Likewise, under the social service leader, there is a beginners’ level and an advanced level. Overall, all of those four different levels and categories have issued certificates for 360 students. And that other one, I think you can have more detailed information when you meet anyone from the Ignatius Center for Human Development.

There are many different social service corps, okay? We call it social service corps. It is quite difficult to translate... they say “little bulb”: Sogang Little Bulb Service Corps. This group is doing some social service for disabled students. And second is... I don’t know, they say Laongema Service Corps. Those groups are helping those who are living on the periphery, like the elderly, disabled, and they are doing some performances, like music, and anything else.

And third is Sogang Mentoring Service Corps. Students are visiting the very poor families and the single mother- or single-father family, the children, and they are mentoring those students. Students from low-income families and single families. Do you use single families?

Yes, yes.

Okay, and then fourth, Sogang Broadcasting Service Corps: they are doing some 60 minute program, and air it for 60 minutes, and I think those broadcasting service corps is doing some interesting programs about and for the low-income families.

And then, fifth is the Sogang Naraeper, but I don’t know what it means…you can look it up. So they are making storybooks for children, and they are doing some recreation with those children.

And then, fifth is Alpha Sigma Nu. Doesn’t Georgetown have an Alpha Sigma Nu chapter? Anyway, those people are doing like a study in specific programs for low-income students and interracial families. Because these days, about one out of every 10 marriages is interracial. Usually Korean males, and females from abroad - Chinese, East Asians.

And finally, Campus Greener: they are doing some programs for a green campus.

And then another program is, once a year, one day per year, they set apart one single day doing some service work for this Mapo borough. About 100 students are participating in it. And that specific day is organized by this Ignatius Center for Human Development and Mapo Volunteer Services Center. Mapo is the borough that Sogang is a part of, okay? So this is a collaboration between the university and this local government.

And the third as we call it is Xavier Overseas Service Corps. Francisco Xavier? They are sending students, usually particularly during summer vacation and winter vacation to Cambodia. Already we have sent 11 times for over 11 years to Cambodia, because Cambodia is mission territory of Korea, the Society of Jesus in Korea. We are running a technical center for disabled people, an aging center, education, so those particular institutes or schools are visited by these students, for a couple of weeks or three weeks, doing some service. Actually, they have the opportunity to see how the underprivileged people are being taken care of by Jesuits.

The second country is the Philippines. So we are cooperating with the Ateneo de Naga University. Do you know the university? Ateneo de Naga University - it is another Jesuit University. Okay?

And then, there is one more program, which has something to do with organizations outside the university. So I think there is one organization called Korea University Social Service Corporation. And they are doing overseas social service during the summer vacation for two weeks. So students can join the corporation’s summer program. Last year, there were only three students, but there is another important institute, called the Korea Scholarship Foundation. And then, it has two different mentoring programs. The first is the Intellectual Service Mentoring, and the second is the Group Mentoring Program. The first, Intellectual Mentoring program is for... I think they are going to a camp, a summer camp, and they are doing some schoolwork for the student. And the second, the Group Mentoring Program, they are finding out the excellent groups in the university, and those groups are being supported by this Korea Scholarship Foundation, so they are performing better services for other people. So interestingly, in the Group Mentoring program, about 140 students are participating.

And then we call it, there are GS Civil Engineering Service Corporation. It’s a big company, GS, I think it has university service corps, and then about 20 Sogang University students are selected by the specific GS Civil Engineering Students Service Corporation. So they are being supported by the specific company, doing their services.

And now, number three question... ah, am I keeping you too long? 

No, this is wonderful! Thank you so much for you information. This is awesome, and I am very impressed with all that the university is doing to promote social justice.

Mmmm.... I think that if you want to clarify anything, just ask, because I am looking at some Korean documents and translating simultaneously, so I don’t necessarily know how to put the words into English. There must be some specific tongue that is used so far. So if you want to clarify, just let me know.

Okay, thank you. So the third question: what are your goals in how social justice issues are implemented in a broader context?

So I am going to answer that question as my position, so executive director for the board of trustees. So, which means, I wanted to introduce two different things which are done by my office. The first is, we call it Ignatian Lecture. So Ignatian Lecture aims at making students and making alumni aware of the problems of poverty, discrimination, and the importance of service. Okay? At the moment, that is our goal: we want to form “men and women for others” by providing classes through the capacity of our board of trustees, so that those who are participating in the specific classes, which are now just two, but in the next year will open another two so there will be four different classes total, so they are becoming “men and women for others,” which is the core of our Jesuit education philosophy. Right?

The first is, we say, is the “Age of Empathy.” That is the first class, the name. Why? We want to make people see positive aspects of the world, because our Jesuit education philosophy always embraces the worldliness of our world. That means, unlike other religious orders in the Middle Ages, they were departing from the world and going into areas, because the world is full of evils. But our Jesuits are going specifically into that evil world because that specific world is troubled with particular needs of salvation. That’s why we name that one class “Age of Empathy.”

And secondly, these days, humanities are quite emphasized in Korea. So, we say, “Humanities Designed by Students.” So students are asked or invited to design their own classes, especially humanities, so that they learn how to become independent learners. They are learning to become independent learners.

And the second semester, which begins in September here, there will be two others. The first, we call it “Leading from Within,” which is like service learning. Basically it is about self-acceptance, self-awareness.

And then the last course is “Preferential Option for the Poor.” So it is through the last course that we wanted to bring up the personal concern for the poor. So those are the components of Ignatian Lecture, which our board of trustees is trying to put back.

Let’s see... when I was talking about the Ignatian Lecture, there are three key values... no, six key values. First, we are affirming the world, and the acceptance of self; third, individual concern, or personal concern; and then faith that does justice; fifth, independent learner; and last, value oriented. So those are the six key values of Ignatian Lecture.

Interestingly, we are having Sogang Jesuit Week, like Jesuit Heritage Week. Actually, I adopted it from Georgetown, and then we began it last year, and this year, we are going to invite lecturers from outside the university, and we are going to invite our university professors to give talks depending on those specific six core values. And then, we have another interesting program, called Global Solidarity Program, between Sogang and Nepal. So through that program, we wanted to create the program for professors. Last year, I led five professors from different disciplines, and I took them to St. Xavier’s College in Nepal, and for five days, they are giving lectures according to their own interest, for five days, and myself gave a half-day talk just about leadership. And then secondly, we were visiting different social apostolates for Jesuits, like centers for drug addicts, orphanages, and sometimes we visited the union-sponsored institutes, which take care of prostitutes. There are many Nepalese women sold to India and China, and they are sex slaves, and there is one organization that takes care of them. Then we were also visiting Jesuit colleges and schools, and we met many Jesuits, and non-Jesuits, and we looked at how Jesuits are implementing social justice into their specific areas.

So through that exposure, the global solidarity program, helps our professors—not students, and not staff members, just professors—get to know the reality of the world. More specifically, the world outside of Sogang. This year, we are going to do it again, and I am going to take about five different professors. I think the program is trying to incorporate the ideal model of education into realistic solidarity, or engagement with the local people. So it is not just like cerebral work, but manual work: you have to go to the difficult places, like we are visiting a squatters’ area, a very poor area, and that village was set up beside a river bank, and they had no place to live, and they ran the risk of being swept away by a flood if there was a big wave. But they are just making simple, simple, makeshift houses, and they are living there, and our professors and I just went to them, and many professors were completely shocked, as their world is quite different from our world. I think the exposure really shook them up. So what matters at the moment is not to invite students to travel with us, but to make them holistic persons who know the importance of the realities of our world. So I think that is an interesting program.

The second stage of the Global Solidarity Program: during summer vacation, I am going to take professors, but during the winter vacation, another Jesuit will take the staff members, non-professors. So we have two different segments: summer vacation for professors, and winter vacation for staff members. So this winter, we are going to do it for the first time for staff members, but this summer will be the second time for professors.

But however, finally actually, our main hope is that those professors who participate in the Global Solidarity Program will put their own experiences into their classwork. So I think, well, I don’t know how they are going to do it, but I think definitely that the ultimate goal is through direct immersion; we want to educate the students, indirectly. Okay? So I think those are the two different things that my office, the board of trustees, is doing at the moment.

Those are wonderful. Thank you so much for your input and sharing about these programs.

So, I think that is all I can do for you, Dana. So while you are still in Korea, or even when you are going back to Georgetown, please let me know if you have any questions. I hope that my simple and humble answers can be of use to your research.

Thank you so much. It was a pleasure to hear about all that is going on at Sogang.