Kim Jong-jung, an emeritus professor who laid the groundwork for anatomy research at the Chosun University College of Medicine, died at 76 and donated his body to educate future students.
According to Chosun University on the 27th, before dying of a chronic illness on the 13th, the deceased donated his body and also contributed 30 million won to support the university's development.
After first taking the lectern in 1974, the deceased led the growth of the Department of Anatomy and taught essential basic medical fields such as gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. After serving for many years as department chair, he poured all his passion into the school and his students for nearly 40 years until retiring in 2016 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.
In his lifetime, he also gave lectures at the joint memorial service for body donors held at the start of each academic term, taking the lead in honoring the high ideals of donors who made a noble decision. He further served in key positions inside and outside the university—including chair of the faculty council, dean of the Graduate School of Public Health, and director of the Institute for Democracy Movement Studies—helping to establish the university's democratic values, and contributed to the development of the academic community in Korea as president of the Korean Association of Anatomists.
Kim is said to have left the final words, "I am grateful to Chosun University, which has been my home."
The university said it will honor Kim's wishes by using the funds for anatomy education and the construction of a new Chosun University Hospital.