[INTERVIEW] Sangmyung University builds distinctive global strategy around arts, culture

Kim Chong-hee outlines plans to position school as Asia’s cultural hub

Sangmyung University President Kim Chong-hee speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at her office on the university’s campus in Jongno District, Seoul, June 10. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

As Korean universities jostle for global standing, Sangmyung University is leaning into what sets it apart: a concentration in culture and the arts

Three of the university’s 10 colleges specialize in culture, the arts and design — a rare institutional structure among Korean universities that Sangmyung University President Kim Chong-hee sees as a strategic asset rather than a legacy to be outgrown

“We are focusing our global partnerships on two key areas — artificial intelligence (AI), our new strategic priority, and culture and the arts, our traditional strength,” she said in a recent interview with The Korea Times

Kim said her ultimate goal is to position Sangmyung as Asia’s cultural hub, connected to the world, and and the university is building a network of partnerships across Europe and Asia to back that ambition

In November 2025, the university also launched the Arts Management Asia Center as part of its broader push to become a regional hub for arts management

“We want the center to serve as a platform connecting arts management research and education across Asia while contributing to the sustainable growth of the region’s cultural industries,” Kim said

In February, Kim visited four Italian universities — Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Chieti-Pescara, the University of Florence and Link Campus University — to expand academic cooperation. The partnerships cover a wide range of areas, including culture and the arts, Korean language education, green cities and climate change research, with joint programs already underway

It has also partnered with Italy’s Link Campus University to expand cooperation in K-culture and AI education, establishing what Kim said is the only partnership of its kind between the Italian university and a Korean institution

Sangmyung University President Kim Chong-hee, left, shakes hands with Achille Patrizi, president of Link Campus University, after signing an academic cooperation agreement in Rome, Feb. 3. Courtesy of Sangmyung University

In addition, the university is working with Thailand’s Ministry of Culture on projects to develop the country’s comics and webtoon industry while nurturing creators. It has also signed agreements with major public universities in China and Vietnam, promoting exchanges across a broad range of artistic disciplines, including vocal music, design, dance, webtoons and animation

Kim noted that webtoons in particular are drawing international students to the university

“Webtoons are receiving growing global recognition and represent one of Korea’s most competitive cultural industries,” Kim said. “The field has also become increasingly attractive to international students, many of whom enroll in webtoon-related majors.”

At home, the university hosts a variety of competitions to cultivate the next generation of creatives and performers, including the Sangmyung University National Comics and Animation Contest for Middle and High School Students, now in its 28th year, and the Sangmyung University National Dance Competition, which celebrated its 16th edition this year

University officials attend the awards ceremony for Sangmyung University’s 28th National Comics and Animation Contest for Middle and High School Students at the university’s campus in Jongno District, Seoul, June 2. Courtesy of Sangmyung University

AI as complement, not replacement

Developing an AI-native campus is now a central pillar of the university’s long-term plan, encompassing education, research, administration and AI-powered services for international students

But Kim drew a distinction between adopting AI and teaching students to use it properly

“The key competitive advantage for universities in the AI era is not simply adopting AI into education, but teaching students how to use it effectively and responsibly,” Kim said

She emphasized that the university is focusing not only on AI literacy but also on helping students understand how generative AI works and the ethical and legal issues it raises, including copyright

“The goal is to ensure AI is used as a tool that complements human creativity rather than replaces it,” she said

As part of its strategy, the university has introduced a digital competency program that goes beyond basic AI literacy. The curriculum covers the fundamentals of AI, including deep learning, prompt engineering, the characteristics of different AI models and the practical use of generative AI

“We also place strong emphasis on the limitations of AI, including technical issues such as hallucinations, where AI generates inaccurate information as if it were factual,” Kim said. “At the same time, we educate students about the ethical and legal risks of AI, including misinformation, bias and copyright issues resulting from its misuse.”

Sangmyung University students, participating in an international development cooperation program run in cooperation with Korea International Cooperation Agency, pose with local children in Luang Prabang, Laos, in this 2024 photo. Courtesy of Sangmyung University

Development cooperation

International development cooperation is another area in which the university has built a strong reputation

Sangmyung’s International Development Evaluation Center has been selected a record 12 times to participate in Korea International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) university program for enhancing understanding of international development cooperation, more times than any other Korean university

“The program is designed to help students become practice-oriented professionals by giving them firsthand experience identifying challenges and developing solutions in developing countries,” Kim said

In 2024 and 2025, the university concentrated its curriculum-linked fieldwork in Laos, carrying out projects that included creating a children’s library at an elementary school, promoting tourism rerean traditional culture, health and hygiene

“The core of the university’s model is a virtuous cycle that connects international development cooperation with education, field experience and career development,” Kim said. “Students move from classroom learning to on-the-ground projects before helping spread the values of official development assistance across the campus.”

Graphic by Bae So-young