The inauguration of College President Jim Yong Kim on Tuesday drew unprecedented international attention, as multiple Korean news outlets sent reporters to Dartmouth to cover the event. The Korean media sought to cover not only the historic inauguration of the Ivy League's first Asian American president, but also to interview Kim and his family members to understand his path to success, according to Korean reporters interviewed by The Dartmouth.
"As a Korean American, I am proud of such a person," Myong Sool Chang, a reporter for Boston Korea, said. "We feel honored, so I try to cover it."
Kim has garnered considerable attention from the Korean media since he was announced as former College President James Wright's successor in March.
"Since he was appointed the president of Dartmouth, a lot more Korean media have interviewed him," Young Shin, New York correspondent for the Dong-A Ilbo Daily said. "I got a lot of e-mails from my readers about him. They asked for his e-mail address and contact information. There are a lot of Koreans who want to know more about Mr. Kim."
Korean newspapers sent reporters to cover the event because of the high level of interest among the Korean public, Shin said.
More Korean reporters would have been sent to the inauguration, Shin said, but for a competing story South Korean President Lee Myung-bak addressed the United Nations on Monday.
The South Korean leader himself congratulated Kim on his inauguration as the College's 17th president in a letter to Kim and the Dartmouth community dated Sept. 17, which was read at Tuesday's inauguration ceremony.
Several of the Korean reporters present at the inauguration also wanted to speak with Oaksook Kim, Jim Yong Kim's mother.
"The general expectation of Korean mothers towards their children is just be a doctor or lawyer and make a lot of money," Shin said. "I'd like to ask Kim's mom why she wanted her son to be more like an envisioned leader."
Korean readers want to learn lessons from the story of Kim's upbringing, Shin said.
"Many Korean parents want to know how to raise their children like Kim's parents did," he said. "[Kim] is the famous Ivy League college president. There are a lot of students in Seoul who want to come study here."
Jinhwa Jo, a reporter for Korea Daily, said she wanted to interview members of Kim's family to understand his path to success.
"We're really interested in his mother because she's first-generation and she was the force behind things," Jo said. "I'd like to talk to her about how she raised Mr. Kim. When I interviewed Mr. Kim, he definitely appreciated her efforts. It would be an interesting story for Korean moms."
The Korean journalists also planned to report on the infusion of Korean culture on Dartmouth's campus, namely the presence of the Korean Traditional Performing Arts Association, a New York City-based group that performed at the inauguration.
"It is very typical Korean tradition and culture," Shin said. "I thought Dartmouth is quite ready to accept the culture and tradition from where President Kim is from."
