Forgotten Sacrifice, Overshadowed by Prestige: Korean Higher Education at 80 Years of Liberation
The 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule invites reflection on the many ways the nation has rebuilt itself. Among the institutions that symbolize this rebirth, Inha University occupies a unique place. Founded in 1954 with the support of Korean immigrants in Hawaii, Inha represents one of the earliest acts of transnational solidarity in modern Korean history. The name itself, " In cheon + Ha waii", embodies this legacy. For the diaspora who had left their homeland in the early 20th century to work on Hawaiian plantations, establishing a university in war-ravaged Korea was an act of patriotism and gratitude. Yet today, despite this extraordinary history, Inha University is often undervalued in South Korea’s higher education landscape. It is not because of a lack of contribution. Inha has trained generations of engineers, scientists, and business leaders who advanced Korea’s modernization. The problem lies in a society where entrenched hierarchies o...