By Wonsuh Song
It has been exactly one year since I fulfilled my longtime aspiration and became a full-time university faculty member. The difference between working part-time and working full-time, which I had not fully grasped until I took a step back and looked from the outside, turned out to be far greater than I imagined. Immersing myself on campus day after day—teaching students and engaging in university administration—made me keenly realize that “this job truly suits me.”
I am currently affiliated with Shumei University, known for providing meticulous guidance to each and every student. Because I joined relatively recently, I have been able to notice aspects of our university’s appeal that others might take for granted. To share these strengths widely, I have been actively disseminating information so that both domestic and international students may develop an interest in studying here. I have also devoted myself to career support and networking activities, helping current students discover their intended paths and follow them.
Over the past year, I have also left significant footprints in various academic activities. I have juggled membership in more than ten academic committees while serving on the editorial board of an international academic journal, thereby contributing to the exchange of diverse research findings. In addition, I have written over 300 articles, interviews, and columns for media, focusing on communication and the sharing of information. Through the establishment of a North Korean human rights organization, I have continued to organize lectures on the importance of cooperation among Japan, the United States, and South Korea, encouraging greater international collaboration. It has been an extremely busy year, traveling back and forth between Japan and abroad.
In my private life, it was also a fulfilling year. I have two children: one in the second year of junior high school, commonly described as going through the “middle school blues,” and another who was in the sixth grade of elementary school preparing for junior high school entrance exams. Guiding them both through such crucial stages simultaneously was no easy task, but I am deeply grateful that both managed to embark on their next chapters successfully.
Above all, this experience made me once again recognize the importance of “continuing to strive until you make it.” There was a time when I worried about an interrupted career and the possibility of never securing a full-time position, but through steadfast effort and without giving in, I found that the path eventually does open up. This year, leaving behind the label of “new faculty member,” I intend to build further upon the experience I have accumulated and advance steadily, step by step.
I also hope to promote our university more broadly at home and abroad so that we can attract many talented students. Simultaneously, I plan to be more proactive in a range of activities aimed at improving Japan–Korea relations and contributing to world peace. To those reading this column, especially women suffering from career interruptions, I offer my heartfelt encouragement. It is my firm belief that if you persist in moving forward, you will one day find an “open path” unfolding before your very eyes.
Song Wonsuh (Ph.D.)
Full-time Lecturer, Shumei University / NKNGO Forum Representative
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