Loving Yet Stern... Professor Yoon Ki-jung and President Yoon's Special Father-Son Bond

President Yoon's Values and Their Profound Influence on His Admission to Seoul National University Law School

President Yoon Suk-yeol is well known for his special father-son relationship with his late father, Professor Yoon Ki-jung, an emeritus professor at Yonsei University, who passed away on the 15th. Professor Yoon raised President Yoon sometimes strictly and sometimes lovingly, and was famous for providing an open education that was not bound by ideology.

Although President Yoon was born in Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, he has regarded Chungnam Gongju, the hometown of Professor Yoon, as his hometown and has proudly called himself 'the son of Chungnam,' showing affection for the Papyeong Yoon clan village in Nonsan, Chungnam, following his father.

President Yoon's admission to Seoul National University Law School was also encouraged by Professor Yoon. During his childhood, President Yoon hoped to become an economist, following Professor Yoon, a statistician and economist, but he entered law school following his father's advice to pursue a more specific field of study.

The book "Free to Choose" by liberal economist Milton Friedman, which President Yoon cited as the most impressive book he has read, was reportedly a gift from Professor Yoon to commemorate his admission to Seoul National University Law School. It is also said that Professor Yoon personally recited Kim Ji-ha's poem "Five Bandits," published in the monthly magazine "Sasanggae," to President Yoon.

After graduating from university, President Yoon is known to have studied for the bar exam mainly at the Yonsei University Central Library, where Professor Yoon worked, rather than at the Sillim-dong exam village. In his congratulatory speech at Yonsei University's graduation ceremony last February, President Yoon also recalled memories of Professor Yoon's research office and the campus.

It is also well known that when Professor Yoon invited fellow scholars to their home in Yeonhui-dong, he encouraged President Yoon to become an excellent scholar by making him sing after school.

At times, Professor Yoon showed a strict side. It is known that when President Yoon was a first-year high school student, he was thrown over the shoulder by the large-framed Professor Yoon and fainted, missing school the next day. Also, during his presidential campaign, President Yoon appeared on a TV program and, when asked if he was often scolded by his father, he recalled, "I was often scolded for not studying and playing around," and "I was even hit by my father for staying out late during my university days."

Even after his election, President Yoon was often seen with his father. On April 2, 2021, President Yoon supported Professor Yoon and visited an early voting station for the April 7 by-elections, saying, "My father’s strength is not what it used to be, so I brought him along."

On July 12 of last year, after assuming the presidency, President Yoon invited Professor Yoon to the Yongsan Presidential Office, introduced him to the office and workspaces, and held a dinner.

Meanwhile, among past presidents, this is the second time a sitting president has experienced the loss of a parent during their term, following the death of former President Moon Jae-in’s mother in 2019. On the day of his father’s passing, President Yoon went straight to the hospital where Professor Yoon was admitted right after the Liberation Day celebration and stayed with his family during the final moments.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.