Leading with Truth and Liberty Dear Parents and Guests! Dear Graduating Students! I congratulate all our graduating students with all of my heart. I also thank the professor for their efforts and our parents for their support. Now you will leave the university and enter the world outside. You are the future leaders of the world. Yonsei has given you the training you need to make you welcome and acknowledged in Korea and the entire world. You must rise to meet the expectations the world has of a Yonsei graduate and continue to endeavor to rise to new levels. Graduation is not an ending but a beginning. I firmly believe that you will contribute to society in your various callings. The future lies in front of you, although no one can say exactly what it will be like. New experiences and challenges are waiting for you. New opportunities will also present themselves. When faced with these challenges and opportunities, you will have to make choices. I ask you, as Yonseians, to always make choices befitting a Yonsei graduate. This means two things. First, you must never forget the Yonsei spirit. Always keep in your heart Yonsei’s founding motto of “the truth will set you free.” The ideals of truth and liberty will be the guiding lights for you. Truth calls on you to stay on the right path. Although it may entail immediate material losses, you must always follow the path of truth. This is the shortest way to ultimate victory. Only when you follow truth will your spirit and conscience be truly free. Second, you must become true leaders who serve others and give them an example worthy of following. The things you have achieved up to now are indeed your precious property. However, from now on, you must share you knowledge and scholarship with others. Devote yourselves to your duties and share that which is given you. Give yourself up in order to serve others. Only when you do so will you truly experience the joy of giving and achieving. What does it mean to have a good job? A stable job with a good salary? Such things cannot be ignored, for sure, but all jobs can become good jobs when you put everything you have into your work. My dear graduates! You will leave Yonsei now, but Yonsei will always be with you. You are now the graduates of Yonsei, our proud alumni. Whenever you need the help of Yonsei, we will be there. And we hope you will never forget Yonsei. Let us go forth together now. Graduation is a new beginning. I hope you will continue to endeavor to better yourselves. Yonsei will do so as well. I wish you all a future which you may be proud of. May the blessings of the Lord be with you always. February 25, 2008 Yonsei University President Kim Han-Joong