There was a student who, despite receiving an acceptance letter for a scholarship at Seoul National University College of Agriculture, chose to enroll in the Fisheries Department of Busan College of Fisheries (now Pukyong National University). This was the decision made by the son of a poor tenant farmer in the aftermath of the 1950s war. "Our country has limited land and scarce resources; we must turn to the sea to escape poverty." This advice from his homeroom teacher changed his career path. Thus began Kim Jae-cheol, honorary chairman of the Dongwon Group's dream of the sea.
On the 11th, the Dongwon Group announced that it would release a video series featuring messages from Honorary Chairman Kim to young people on its YouTube channel 'Dongwon TV' for three days starting from the 10th. These videos are based on past lectures given by Honorary Chairman Kim to young people and his book 'How to Ride the Waves of Life,' published in April last year. The videos also include artificial intelligence (AI) content recreating Honorary Chairman Kim's youth.
In the video, Honorary Chairman Kim recounts his journey from leaving behind his acceptance to Seoul National University to boarding a ship as a young man, working on deep-sea fishing vessels, becoming a navigator, then a captain, and eventually founding the Dongwon Group.
The process of first joining a ship was not smooth. Having no prior experience at sea, Honorary Chairman Kim could only board the ship without pay after signing a letter stating, "It doesn't matter even if I die." Recalling that time, he said, "I was able to endure because I had a goal."
After three years of life on deep-sea fishing vessels, Kim Jae-cheol was appointed captain at the age of 23 in 1961. He led tuna-fishing ships in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, earning the nickname 'Captain J.C. Kim.'
In the 1960s, demand for high-grade tuna surged, drawing many deep-sea fishing vessels to the South Pacific. However, Honorary Chairman Kim chose to head to the Indian Ocean instead. Because people believed the Indian Ocean was dangerous, fewer ships went there, resulting in an abundance of fish. His ship achieved a milestone in 1965 by exporting $1.17 million worth of tuna after just 10 voyages in the Indian Ocean. Honorary Chairman Kim said, "We must ask 'why' about things we take for granted."
Thereafter, Honorary Chairman Kim founded Dongwon Industries in 1969. Dongwon Industries expanded its business scope into food, finance, logistics, and other areas, growing into the foundation of today's Dongwon Group and Korea Investment & Finance Group.
The message Honorary Chairman Kim most wants to convey to young people is 'Challenge now.' He stated, "Youth cannot be saved," adding, "Youth is not something you can save up and use later." He further urged, "When you are young, you must have big dreams and challenge them bravely. Do not just dream of what seems realistically possible; sometimes, you should also have outlandish dreams."
Meanwhile, Honorary Chairman Kim has consistently donated to the education sector. To date, he has contributed a total of 88.3 billion won from his personal assets. He donated 60.3 billion won to KAIST, 25 billion won to Seoul National University, and 3 billion won to Hanyang University.
in LIVING
