This pertains to Prof. Laughlin's KAIST presidency. The dated references refer to the correspondence archive.
May 2004 |
|
5 May 04: |
Prof. Salk Sung-ho communicates backchannel offer from Minister of Science and Technology Oh Myung for run KAIST. Key provisions are two-year period of service, ample support, high salary and all other things negotiable. [shs05may04, rbl05may04] |
|
11 May 04: |
Fly to Seoul for meeting the Minister Oh Myung. [rbl08may04] |
|
15 May 04: |
Return to Stanford. [rbl08may04] |
|
17 May 04: |
Salk Sung-ho first suggests Shin Sung-chul as KAIST Vice President on grounds that Minister Oh Myung is concerned about his "disappointment" at losing the Presidency. [shs17may04] |
|
19 May 04: |
Salk Sung-ho strongly reiterates the suggestion to make Shin Sung-chul Vice President. [shs19may04] |
|
20 May 04: |
Fly a second time to Seoul for interview with KAIST Board of Trustees. [rbl19may04] |
|
23 May 04: |
Return to Stanford. [rbl19may04] |
|
25 May 04: |
Learn that Stanford President Hennessy, Provost Etchemendy and ex-Provost Miller met with Oh Myung on earlier visit to Seoul and had KAIST Presidency idea floated to them. [rbl25may04] |
|
28 May 04: |
MOST prematurely announces that I have accepted the Presidency of KAIST. [rbl29may04, rbl30may04] |
|
29 May 04: |
Presidential Transition Committee forms at KAIST. [ptcmr] |
June 2004 |
|
|
2 Jun 04: |
First KAIST Presidential Transition Committee Meeting. [ptcmr] |
|
3 Jun 04: |
Second KAIST Presidential Transition Committee Meeting. [ptcmr] |
|
4 Jun 04: |
Stanford President Hennessy declines to meet with delegation or invite to luncheon. [rbl04jun04] |
|
6 Jun 04: |
Delegation flies from Seoul to Stanford. Consists of Rim Kwan, Salk Sung-ho, Park Oh-ok and Kim Sook-hyeon. Contract for KAIST Presidency written on plane over the Pacific. [rbl02jun04, rk03jun04, shs05jun04] |
|
7 Jun 04: |
Delegation visits home and presents offer. |
|
8 Jun 04: |
Delegation returns to Seoul. |
|
14 Jun 04: |
Third KAIST Presidential Transition Committee Meeting. [ptcmr] |
|
16 Jun 04: |
Arrangement made with Stanford President Hennessy to announce acceptance of KAIST job in press conference. [rbl16jun04] |
|
17 Jun 04: |
Nobelist Steve Chu announces that he is leaving Stanford to become Director of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Hwang Woo-seok announces that he has created human embryonic stem cells by somatic cloning: Science 308, 1777 (2004). [rbl17jun04] |
|
20 Jun 04: |
Stanford negotiates on final wording of KAIST press release. Korea Times reports (false) announcement by MOST that Nobel laureate Laughlin has left Stanford permanently and has committed to a 4-year Presidency of KAIST. Salk Sung-ho reiterates that both Director General Koo Bon-jae and Minister Oh Myung want Prof. Shin Sung-chul to be KAIST Vice President. [rbl20jun04], shs20jun04] |
|
21 Jun 04: |
Stanford makes press release about KAIST, but to Korean papers only. |
|
22 Jun 04: |
Fourth KAIST Presidential Transition Committee Meeting. [ptcmr] |
July 2004 |
|
|
6 Jul 04: |
Text proposed for upcoming discussion with Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. [rbl06jul04] |
|
9 Jul 04: |
Depart Stanford for Barcelona for conference on Spectroscopy of Novel Superconductors. [rbl24jun04, rbl08jul04] |
|
12 Jul 04: |
Fly from Barcelona to Seoul. [rbl08jul04] |
|
13 Jul 04: |
Wife and sons arrive in Seoul. [rbl08jul04] |
|
14 Jul 04: |
Inauguration as President of KAIST. [rbl08jul04] |
|
15 Jul 04: |
Meet with Korean President Roh Moo-hyun for an hour at the Blue House. Minister Oh Myung and KAIST Board Chairman Rim Kwan in attendance. [pok01jul04, rk01jul04] |
|
16 Jul 04: |
Appear in opening ceremony of the International Physics Olympiad in Pohang. [rbl19jul04] |
|
21 Jul 04: |
Lecture at International Physics Olympiad. Attend press conference and make first contact with Chosun Ilbo reporter Lee Young-wan. [rbl19jul04] |
|
23 Jul 04: |
Return to Stanford with family. [rbl08jul04] |
|
30 Jul 04: |
First follow-up contact with reporter Lee Young-wan about his suggestion to write for the Chosun Ilbo. [rbl30jul04] |
August 2004 |
|
|
1 Aug 04: |
Vice President Shin Sung-chul begins appointing 13 Deans. Receives written questions for each Dean. Asks permission to replace the Director of Administration on grounds of age. This offer later turns out to control the cutting of all checks at KAIST, the hiring of all staff, the allocation of all benefits and the management of all labor matters, including the retention and payment of labor counsel.) [rbl01aug04] |
|
3 Aug 04: |
Leave Stanford for conference on Emergent Matter in Aspen. [rbl27jul04] |
|
7 Aug 04: |
Return from Aspen to Stanford. [rbl10aug04] |
|
5 Aug 04: |
First reply from Deans appointed by Vice President Shin Sung-chul. [lkh05aug04, lkr06aug04, khs06aug04, kkh08aug04, yjr08aug04, rbl08aug04] |
|
10 Aug 04: |
Shin Sung-chul reports that a gorgeous new car arrives for new President. Fails to mention that an even more gorgeous new car arrives for himself. [scs10aug04] |
|
11 Aug 04: |
Oral surgery in Palo Alto. [rbl11aug04] |
|
12 Aug 04: |
Vice President Shin identifies two candidates for personal assistant to interview. Recommends Harrison Lee. [rbl12aug04] |
|
18 Aug 04: |
Leave Stanford for Seoul. [rbl18aug04] |
|
20 Aug 04: |
Harrison Lee selected to be personal assistant. [rbl22aug04] |
|
21 Aug 04: |
Instruct secretary Ms. Kim Hyun-soo to remove KAIST office bric-a-brac. [rbl21aug04] |
|
22 Aug 04: |
KAIST Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok balks at wiring salary out of the country in order to avoid later currency control impediments. Reverses position at prospect of complaint to Board of Trustees. [rbl24aug04] |
|
30 Aug 04: |
Harrison Lee instructed to contact reporter Lee Young-wan and follow up on invitation to write for the Chosun Ilbo. [rbl30aug04] |
September 2004 |
|
|
1 Sep 04: |
KAIST admissions ratio revealed to be 1, despite free tuition and draft exemption. [rbl01sep04] |
|
3 Sep 04: |
New York Times alleges that South Korea separating uranium isotopes using lasers. Guidance requested from Ministry of Science and Technology. [rbl03sep04] |
|
9 Sep 04: |
Attend 10th Atomic Energy Safety Day at Korea Institute for Nuclear Safety in Daejeon. Meet Ambassador from Costa Rica and his Science Minister. Address the Science and Technology Forum of the Korean National Assembly in Seoul. [hsk06sep04, rbl07sep04]. |
|
10 Sep 04: |
Prof. Salk Sung-ho criticizes Harrison Lee's translation job at the National Assembly. Attend concert of student rock group AdLib in KAIST auditorium. Ask Dean of Student Affairs Noh Young-hae to contact performers and ask background questions of each. [nyh13sep04, shs10sep04.] |
|
11 Sep 04: |
Steps taken to prevent Harrison Lee from being fired. [scs12sep04] |
|
12 Sep 04: |
Prof. Salk Sung-ho dresses down Harrison Lee at restaurant. [rbl12sep04] |
|
14 Sep 04: |
British government confers KAIST Board Chairman Rim Kwan with title of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE). [rbl15sep04] |
|
15 Sep 04: |
Student rock musicians respond. [dcw14sep04, lwj14sep04, kwj15sep04, kdh15sep04, ktw15sep04, kjh16sep04, jsh16sep04, khn15sep04, kts17sep04] |
|
16 Sep 04: |
Leave for Jeju Island to attend KAIST CEO Forum at Shineville Resort. [hsk15sep04] |
|
17 Sep 04: |
Deliver welcoming address at KAIST CEO Forum. [rbl25sep04] |
|
18 Sep 04: |
Return from Jeju. Discover more music talent at closing ceremony of KAIST-Postech "sports war". [rbl25sep04] |
|
20 Sep 04: |
Dean of Student Affairs Noh, Young-hae asked for further information about student music hobbies. Grounds are that selecting for math talent also selects for music ability. [rbl20sep04, rbl27sep04] |
|
22 Sep 04: |
Surprise KAIST Board of Trustees meeting in Seoul, the sole purpose of is to confirm new Auditor, Mr. Yeo In-cheol. Appointment is political. Deliver impromptu speech to board on reform plan for KAIST. [rbl22sep04, rbl25sep04] |
|
23 Sep 04: |
Attend reception at U.S. Embassy in Seoul. [pok11sep04] |
October 2004 |
|
|
4 Oct 04: |
Deliver address at Venture Korea 2004 in Seoul. [hsk30aug04, rbl28sep04, hsk14sep04] |
|
5 Oct 04: |
Leave for Nagoya to give invited lecture at fusion laboratory. Trip not on "invited lecture schedule" despite permission to travel from Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok. [hsk25aug04, hsk14sep04, rmm11sep04, rmm29sep04] |
|
6 Oct 04: |
Return from Nagoya to Seoul. Meet with editor of Chosun Ilbo in Seoul and arrange contract to write regular column. [rbl08oct04] |
|
7 Oct 04: |
Deliver Gwanak Lecture at Seoul National University. Phone call from Blue House in car on way back to KAIST about KBS live television broadcast from KAIST pond to occur that night - a panel discussion about science funding involving KAIST Vice President Shin, Sung-chul and Korean Presidential Science adviser Park, Ki-young. President not informed. Arrange at last minute to sit in front of audience for cameras. Assistant Harrison Lee banned from the theater, thus no translation. [hsk14sep04, rbl08oct04] |
|
8 Oct 04: |
Harrison Lee reports that KAIST President's salary leaked to the press during absence in Japan despite order from MOST to keep it secret. Leaker later turns out to be Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok. Also leaked is a (false) report of students leaving KAIST in large numbers and a document entitled "What's Wrong with KAIST" authored two weeks previously by KAIST Mechanical Engineering professor Cho Hyung-suk - and not reported to the KAIST President by anyone. [rbl11oct04, scs13oct04] |
|
12 Oct 04: |
Science and Technology Committee of the National Assembly visits to "inspect" KAIST in an all-day hearing. Parts shown on television. President delivers speech in Korean promising to take personal responsibility if any facts are misrepresented. Dean of Research Lee Kwyro transmits draft of huge ($50M/year) new research project called "The Laughlin Innovation Center" that was, until this moment, unknown to the President. [rbl12oct04, lkr12oct04, lkr15oct04] |
|
13 Oct 04: |
President issues order to Vice President Shin for transmission to Deans and Chairs requiring them to take full responsibility for the budgets over which they have formal cognizance rather than delegating this responsibility to staff. Mr. Shin replies a week later saying that it was sent out after a three-day delay. [rbl14oct04, scs21oct04] |
|
15 Oct 04: |
Harrison Lee discovers that large amounts of money spent by Public Relations Team aren't from government sources but instead come from private source called the "Parent Trust Fund". Deans - including Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok - profess ignorance of this fund, how much money is involved, and how it's spent. Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won ordered to freeze staff hiring into his Team and find out and report full Parent Trust Fund contribution to his budget. Amount turns out to be $350,000 per year. [hl15oct04, rbl15oct04] |
|
16 Oct 04: |
President asks that his name be removed from "The Laughlin Innovation Center". Committee renames program REDS. Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok asked for revised copy of REDS white paper delivered to Ministry of Science and Technology. [pok16oct04] |
|
18 Oct 04: |
President criticizes budget of REDS project as a "non-starter". [rbl18oct04] |
|
19 Oct 04: |
Mr. Hong Young-chul, CEO of Steel Company of Korea and President of Parent Trust Fund, telephones and explains that his committee does not, in fact, exercise authority over the Fund but delegates spending authority to the President of KAIST, previously Mr. Hong Chang-sun. Vice President Shin ordered to set up meeting with Parent Trust Fund Administrator Lee Jae-myun to discuss this spending. Mr. Shin agrees but meeting never materializes. [rbl19oct04, scs19oct04] |
|
20 Oct 04: |
Dine in Seoul with Mr. Koji Omi, member of Japanese Diet, who extends personal invitation to give 8-minute summary at upcoming Science and Technology Forum (STS Forum) in Kyoto. [rbl21oct04, rbl25oct04] |
|
21 Oct 04: |
KAIST Tech-Park removed from the REDS Proposal on the grounds that "government venture" is an oxymoron. Publish 1st Chosun Ilbo column: "Breakfast of Champions". [rbl21oct04] |
|
22 Oct 04: |
Speak to Shinhan Group in Seoul. [hsk14sep04] |
|
27 Oct 04: |
President orders meeting with Parent Trust Fund Administrator Lee Jae-myun without Vice President Shin's intervention. Mr. Lee Jae-myun reveals that Fund is $7 million and is raised from student tuitions - a practice expressly forbidden by the special law that created KAIST. He reports that about half the money is budgeted for "student activities" and "faculty and staff subsidies", and that the latter account for about 10% of total compensation for selected faculty and staff. This income later revealed not to be identified as "salary" on pay stubs. Mr. Lee Jae-myun relates how a student activist group had demanded, unsuccessfully, thorough accounting of the "student activities" expenditures in the summer of 2004, the grounds being that they never saw any of their own tuition money used for themselves. Mr. Lee Jae-myun ordered to freeze all spending on this account, effective immediately, pending thorough review by the President. [rbl27oct04] |
|
28 Oct 04: |
Visit Management School and discover that Parent Trust Fund "component" to compensation was well known and indicated as such on pay stub. Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won professes ignorance of this practice. [rbl28oct04, kcw28oct04] |
|
29 Oct 04: |
Harrison Lee ordered to track down student who complained about Parent Trust Fund, as Mr. Lee Jae-myung had alleged. KAIST Chairman Rim Kwan asked about his knowledge of Parent Trust Fund. Chairman Rim replies that he created the fund when he was President, but knew of no problem with it. [rbl29oct04, rk29oct04, roptfb] |
|
30 Oct 04: |
Fly from Seoul to San Francisco. Meet with industrialist Lee Chong-moon and Stanford ex-provost Bill Miller. [rbl26oct04] |
|
31 Oct 04: |
Halloween |
November 2004 |
|
|
1 Nov 04: |
Ask Prof. Yang Tae-yong to refocus finances KAIST entrepreneur program, per discussions with Mr. Lee Chong-moon. Ask Vice President Shin to begin separating finances of the KAIST School of Management from the rest of the university. [rbl01nov05] |
|
2 Nov 04: |
KAIST Auditor Yeo In-cheol reports finding document "clarifying" President's authority. Document later turns out to be the "Presidential Transition Committee Management Result" which usurped President's authority. REDS program criticized as financially unrealistic, despite recent successes of Vice President Shin in lobbying in the National Assembly. [icy02nov04, ptcmr, rbl02nov04] |
|
5 Nov 04: |
Return from San Francisco to Seoul. [rbl26oct04] |
|
6 Nov 04: |
Speak at IT Young Gifted Students Competition Award, a children's event, at insistence of Information Minister Jin, even though Mr. Jin himself did not attend. [hsk06sep04, rbl06nov04, hl06nov04] |
|
9 Nov 04: |
Auditor Yeo In-cheol reveals the "Presidential Transition Committee Management Result", a document secretly assigning all meaningful power to the Vice President. Also shows, but does not give in paper form, the more official "Presidential Powers Memorandum". KAIST Board Chairman Rim Kwan and former Vice President Yu Jin informed and asked for response. [ptcmr, ppm, rbl09nov04] |
|
10 Nov 04: |
Vice President Shin responds to inquiry about Presidential Transition Committee Management Result incredulously, asking why President suspects wrongdoing. [ptcmr, scs10nov04] |
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11 Nov 04: |
Former KAIST Vice President Yu Jin denies any familiarity with the KAIST Presidential Transition Committee Management Result, even though he is listed on the document as the Committee Chairman. [ptcmr, yj11nov04] |
|
12 Nov 04: |
KAIST revealed to be running a 7 billion won deficit. Board Chairman Rim Kwan asked for response. rbl12nov04] |
|
14 Nov 04: |
Leave for Inaugural Conference of the Science and Technology Forum (STS Forum). Accompanied by Harrison Lee, per approval of Dean of Planning Park Oh-Ok. Plane delay causes surprise meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi not to occur. [hsk23aug04, sts26aug04, rbl13nov04] |
|
15 Nov 04: |
Speak at STS forum. Meet in Kyoto with Korean Presidential Science Adviser Park Ki-young. Publish 2nd Chosun Ilbo column: "Second Chance". [rbl10nov04] |
|
16 Nov 04: |
Return from Kyoto to Seoul. |
|
18 Nov 04: |
Scan Presidential Transition Committee Management Result and put on web. [rbl18nov04] |
|
19 Nov 04: |
Lecture in Seoul to Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST). Meet famous reformer Kim Young-gil of Handong Global University. [sms26oct04, hsk28oct04, rbl29nov04] |
|
21 Nov 04: |
Fly from Seoul to Sendai to speak at 4th International Workshop on Novel Quantum Phenomena in Transition Metal Oxides (TMO2004). [hsk10sep04, rbl10sep04. sm13oct04] |
|
23 Nov 04: |
Fly from Tokyo to San Francisco. [rbl08nov04] |
|
25 Nov 04: |
KAIST graduate student Kang Ji-hoon writes to ask how school plans to compensate him for maiming accident on 13 May 03 in which he lost both his legs. Vice President Shin asked for information about this accident. [khj25nov04, rbl25nov04] |
|
27 Nov 04: |
Return from San Francisco to Seoul. [rbl08nov04] |
|
29 Nov 04: |
First draft of KAIST Vision Statement completed and sent to Vice President Shin Sung-chul and MOST Director General Cho Chung-won. Director General Cho asked to clarify amount of "reform" wished at KAIST. "Lack of enthusiasm" expressed for REDS. "Request to Open Parents Trust Fund Budget" and attached student petition received from Undergraduate Student Council President Kim Hae-min. [rbl29nov04, rbl30nov04, roptfb] |
December 2004 |
|
|
1 Dec 04: |
Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok says that there is "no flow of authority at KAIST." The right to make laws "just is". [rbl01dec04] |
|
2 Dec 04: |
Auditor Yeo In-cheol asks for written clarification about when and how the "Presidential Transition Committee Management Result" was revealed, and also whether President had received copy of the "Presidential Power Memorandum". [rbl02dec04, ptcmr, ppm] |
|
3 Dec 04: |
Meet with Minister Oh Myung in Seoul. [hsk02dec04] |
|
6 Dec 04: |
Fly from Seoul to Tokyo for lecture at energy research institute (CRIEPI). Publish 3rd Chosun Ilbo column: "The International Man". [hsk03dec04, hl05dec04] |
|
7 Dec 04: |
Tour energy research institute (CRIEPI) and deliver lecture. [ya19nov04, ya06dec04] |
|
8 Dec 04: |
Deliver talk at Hongo campus of University of Tokyo. Return to Seoul. [rbl08dec04] |
|
9 Dec 04: |
Demand copy of "Presidential Powers Memorandum" from Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok, who delivers it and then offers to resign. Thoughtful criticism of KAIST Vision Statement by Vice President Shin. Meet with Chairman Rim Kwan. [rbl09dec04, rbl12dec04, hsk08dec04, ptcmr, ppm] |
|
10 Dec 04: |
Resignation of Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok accepted. Revised KAIST Vision Statement (retitled "Proposed KAIST Investment Strategy") delivered to Vice President Shin for discussion at KAIST Vision Workshop. [rbl10dec04] |
|
12 Dec 04: |
Discussion group agenda for KAIST Vision workshop modified to fit content of new Vision document. Proposal written to Chairman Rim Kwan for Board action to split Vice-Presidency, split Budget and Planning, and assert ownership authority over non-government income. [rbl12dec04, scs12dec04] |
|
13 Dec 04: |
Chairman Rim Kwan replies that both splits are possible. Points out that MOST suggested split Vice-Presidency in May 2004. [rk13dec04] |
|
14 Dec 04: |
KAIST Vision Workshop. President asked to keep Vision statement out of the press until review by ad-hoc Vision Committee. [hsk13dec04] |
|
15 Dec 04: |
Make formal written request to split Vice Presidency. Wife Anita arrives in Seoul. [rbl15dec04, shs17dec04] |
|
17 Dec 04: |
Answer written criticism of KAIST Vision statement submitted by Prof. Kang Suk-joong. Dean of Research Lee Kwyro asks for 3-year leave to manage team of 800 people at LG Electronics. Congressman requests copy of Vision Power Point presentation for National Assembly. [rbl17dec04] |
|
18 Dec 04: |
Discover that Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for 28 Dec 06 during Christmas holidays. Proxy given to Vice President. MOST Director General Cho Chung-won asked for additional clerical manpower to facilitate splitting of Budget and Planning. [rbl18dec04] |
|
19 Dec 04: |
Driving tour with Prof. Salk Sung-ho and wife. See Freedom Bridge but not Panmunjom. [shs18dec04] |
|
21 Dec 04: |
Fly to San Francisco with Anita. [rbl01dec04] |
|
22 Dec 04: |
Report to Chairman Rim and Director General Cho that Vice President Shin threatens to step down if Vice Presidency is split. [rbl22dec04] |
|
23 Dec 04: |
Write to Mr. Shin with analysis of governance problem and request that he remain in office. [rbl23dec04] |
|
24 Dec 04: |
Respond in writing to Prof. Chang Choong-seok's thoughts about the Vision statement. [rbl24dec04] |
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27 Dec 04: |
Publish 4th Chosun Ilbo column: "New Resolution". |
|
29 Dec 04: |
First meeting of the Ad-Hoc Vision Committee. [scs29dec04] |
|
30 Dec 04: |
Chairman Rim writes that Board of Trustees meeting of 28 Dec 06 was canceled. [rk30dec04, hsk30dec04] |
January 2005 |
|
|
2 Jan 05: |
Arrive back in Daejeon from San Francisco. [rbl01dec04] |
|
3 Jan 05: |
Meet with Ad-Hoc Vision Committee. [hsk31dec04] |
|
6 Jan 05: |
Answer written criticism about Vision Statement submitted by Prof. Lee Soo-young. [rbl06jan05] |
|
7 Jan 05: |
Answer criticism entitled "Our Opinion on President Laughlin's KAIST Development Plan" submitted by Electrical Engineering Chairman Lee Young-hun. [rbl07jan05] |
|
8 Jan 05: |
Harrison Lee warns that "something is cooking" at KAIST, particularly with regard to Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok. [rbl08jan05] |
|
10 Jan 05: |
Answer written criticism about Vision Statement submitted by Prof. Bae Choong-sik. Receive reprimand from Auditor Yeo In-cheol for taking vacation during Board of Trustees meeting scheduled 28 Dec 04. [rbl10jan05] |
|
11 Jan 05: |
Propose reform of business program to Vice President Shin and Dean of Academic Affairs Kang. Arrange face-to-face meeting about the Parent Trust Fund between leaders of the Undergraduate Student Council and officials of the Office of Student Affairs. [rbl11jan05, rbl12jan05] |
|
13 Jan 05: |
Reply to written questions from the Student Council about the Parent Trust Fund. [rbl13jan05] |
|
15 Jan 05: |
Minister Oh Myung expresses solidarity with reform plans, and is especially supportive of business pedagogy changes. Issues instructions to create Northeast Asia School of Management and to temporarily overlook property and tuition irregularities pending MOST review. [rbl16jan05, rbl17jan05] |
|
17 Jan 05: |
Publish 5th Chosun Ilbo column: "Trumpets of the Sky". |
|
20 Jan 05: |
Ad-Hoc Vision Committee asked to speed delivery of written criticism of Vision statement. [rbl20jan05] |
|
22 Jan 05: |
Students debate reform ideas. [hl22jan05] |
|
23 Jan 05: |
JoongAng Daily publishes bitter public letter to the KAIST President from Dean of Planning Park Oh-ok (not sent to President directly). Reply drafted at midnight and sent to Auditor and KAIST Trustees. [rbl24jan05] |
|
24 Jan 05: |
KAIST Board of Trustees meeting. Ad-Hoc Vision Committee silent. MOST Director General Cho Chung-won declares that KAIST will not charge tuition. Asks for "milder" version of the Vision Statement that provides deliverables without confrontation. Promises that MOST will commit resources necessary to achieve vision. [hsk20jan05, rbl25jan05] |
|
26 Jan 05: |
Extensive discussions with Chosun Ilbo reporter Choi Seung-ho. [rbl26jan05] |
|
27 Jan 05: |
Recommend to postpone US Ambassador Hill's upcoming visit to Daejeon on account of power struggle at KAIST. Meet with MOST Vice Minister Choi concerning implementation of KAIST Vision. [rbl27jan05, rbl30jan05] |
|
28 Jan 05: |
Informal dinner with Ad-Hoc Vision Committee. [hsk28jan05, cbk28jan05] |
|
30 Jan 05: |
Prof. Chang Soon-heung volunteers to become the new KAIST Dean of Budget and Planning. [rbl31jan05] |
|
31 Jan 05: |
Draft statement for press event at MOST sent to Director General Cho Chung-won. Enthusiastic fan letter about KAIST reform from Mr. Lee Kong-hoon. [rbl31jan05, hsk31jan05] |
February 2005 |
|
|
1 Feb 05: |
Revised press statement sent to Director General Cho Chung-won. Press event at MOST. Mr. Cho censors press statement at last minute. Publish 6th Chosun Ilbo column: "We Were So Proud". [rbl01feb05, hl01feb05] |
|
3 Feb 05: |
"Good money" target established to be KRW 20 billion ($20 million). [rbl03feb05] |
|
8 Feb 05: |
First draft of KAIST Globalization Project. [rbl08feb05] |
|
11 Feb 05: |
Visit Buddhist monastery near Daegu at invitation of Harrison's aunt. [hl04feb05, hl14feb05, rbl05feb05, rbl12feb05] |
|
12 Feb 05: |
KAIST Globalization Project revised. [rbl12feb05] |
|
13 Feb 05: |
First biotech investment discussions. [rbl13feb05, lsy13feb05, lkh14feb05] |
|
16 Feb 05: |
Recommend to Mr. Kim Young-jik that maiming victim Kim Ji-hoon get a lawyer. [rbl16feb05] |
|
17 Feb 05: |
Lecture at Majority Party Politics Academy in the National Assembly. [hsk02feb05, rbl06feb05, rbl18feb05] |
|
19 Feb 05: |
Dean Park Sung-joo asked to make KAIST Graduate School of Management financially independent. Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung reminded of 1 Mar 06 deadline to clarify Parent Trust Fund. [rbl19feb05] |
|
24 Feb 05: |
Presidential Advisory Group forms. First proposition to create Business Economics Minor linked to Lee Chong-moon endowment. [yty19feb05, rbl24feb05] |
|
25 Feb 05: |
Harrison Lee reports that Prof. Park Oh-ok still functioning as Auditor of KAIST Development Fund. [hl25feb05] |
|
26 Feb 05: |
Prof. Park Oh-ok replaced by Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung as Standing Trustee (not Auditor) of KAIST Development Fund. [rbl26feb05, scs28feb05] |
|
28 Feb 05: |
Lecture at CEO Forum of National Academy of Engineering. [py16feb05, rbl27feb05] |
March 2005 |
|
|
1 Mar 05: |
Korean President Roh Moo-hyun schedules visit to KAIST on 31 Mar 05 for Daeduk R&D Special Zone Launching Ceremony. Publish 7th Chosun Ilbo column: "The Dark Age". [rbl01mar05] |
|
2 Mar 05: |
Write to Presidential Science Adviser Park Kee-young about timing of President Roh's visit. [rbl02mar05] |
|
3 Mar 05: |
KAIST Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won criticizes "MIT Model" in KAIST Times. [hl03mar05, rbl03mar05] |
|
5 Mar 05: |
Receive report from KAIST Ad-Hoc Vision Committee. Complain to Committee about its tacit repudiation of economic reasons to reform. [kjh05mar05, rbl05mar05] |
|
6 Mar 05: |
Receive answer about Vision criticism from Prof. Choi Byung-kyu, former Chairman of KAIST Ad-Hoc Vision Committee. [cbk06mar05] |
|
8 Mar 05: |
KAIST Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung generates point-by-point analysis of Vision Committee Report in preparation for generating compromise Vision Statement. [hsk08mar05] |
|
11 Mar 05: |
Lecture at Handong Global University in Pohang. Talk with its President, Kim Young-gil. Work at Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics. [hsk10mar05] |
|
12 Mar 05: |
Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung finishes final compromise Vision Statement. [kjh12mar05] |
|
15 Mar 05: |
Deliver impromptu speech at Opening Ceremony of KAIST Nanocenter rather than speech prepared by staff. [hsk15mar05] |
|
16 Mar 05: |
Deliver speech on Science and Technology Education Investment to Vision Committee of the National Assembly. [hsk10mar05, rbl14mar05, khk06mar05] |
|
18 Mar 05: |
Attend KAIST Board of Trustees meeting. Stealth parliamentary maneuver to block adoption of KAIST Vision coordinated with press attack. Fly to San Francisco. [hl18mar05, rbl19mar05] |
|
20 Mar 05: |
Invited talk at March Meeting of American Physical Society in Los Angeles: "Limits of Computation". [rbl09mar05, rbl17mar05] |
|
21 Mar 05: |
Invited talk at March Meeting of American Physical Society in Los Angeles: "Paradigm shifts in the Physics of Strongly-Correlated Electronic Materials". [rbl09mar05, rbl17mar05] |
|
22 Mar 05: |
Fly to San Francisco. Meet with Mr. Chung-moon Lee in Palo Alto about KAIST Entrepreneurship endowment. [rbl22mar05, yty21mar05] |
|
24 Mar 05: |
Publish 8th Chosun Ilbo column: "Knights of Bits". |
|
26 Mar 05: |
Speak at Cohen/Shen fest at UC Berkeley. [sgl15feb05] |
|
27 Mar 05: |
Receive last-minute instructions about speech for Launching Ceremony of Daeduk R&D Special Zone at KAIST from Prof. Oh Jun-ho. [ojh23mar05, ojh28mar05] |
|
28 Mar 05: |
Book lecture at Stanford: "A Different Universe". [rbl06mar05] |
|
29 Mar 05: |
Fly from San Francisco to Seoul. [hsk29mar05] |
|
31 Mar 05: |
Deliver speech at Launching Ceremony of Daeduk R&D Special Zone on KAIST. Fly from Seoul to Chicago. [hsk29mar05] |
April 2005 |
|
|
1 Apr 05: |
Lecture at University of Illinois at Chicago and at Northwestern. [rbl01apr05] |
|
4 Apr 05: |
Lecture at JILA and Fiske Planetarium in Boulder. [lr05apr05, sm05apr05] |
|
5 Apr 05: |
Deliver Brickwedde Lecture at Johns Hopkins. Confer with Prof. Kim Chung-wook, former head of KIAS. [zbt05mar05, zbt12mar05] |
|
6 Apr 05: |
Lecture at Smithsonian Associates in Washington. Dean Chang Soon-heung forwards revised draft of KAIST Vision Statement. [lji01apr05, lnk06apr05] |
|
7 Apr 05: |
Make final corrections to KAIST Vision Statement. Begin looking into management of KAIST student newspapers. [rbl07apr05] |
|
8 Apr 05: |
Lecture at Boston University. [acn06apr05] |
|
8 Apr 05: |
Lecture at Hayden Planetarium in New York. [rbl09apr05] |
|
13 Apr 05: |
Return from US. [rbl23feb05] |
|
15 Apr 05: |
Speak at Opening Ceremony for SoCIum Research Center and KAIST Display Center. [hsk13apr05] |
|
18 Apr 05: |
KAIST Auditor Yeo In-cheol writes memorandum to Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung criticizing trip to the US, especially taking assistant Harrison Lee. Dean Chang tells Harrison Lee that revealing the content of the memorandum is "inappropriate". [rbl18apr05] |
|
22 Apr 05: |
Harrison Lee reports a rumor that someone instructed the Public Relations Department to release the KAIST Vision Statement in English only. [rbl22apr05] |
|
23 Apr 05: |
Publish 9th Chosun Ilbo column: "The Middle Kingdom". Harrison Lee reports that response to the column is "explosive". [hl23apr05, rbl26apr05] |
|
24 Apr 05: |
Presidential Assistant Lee Nam-gu reports that legal matters in all top Korean universities are handled by amateurs and that no Korean university has a General Council. [lnk24apr05] |
|
27 Apr 05: |
Meet with English faculty. Propose "less disruptive" improvement strategy. [rbl28apr05] |
|
28 Apr 05: |
Sign Culture Technology Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Trade. Presidential Assistant Lee Nam-gu forwards accounting of "non-personnel" part of Parent Trust Fund for Daejeon Campus. [rbl29apr05, rbl23apr05, lnk28apr05] |
|
30 Apr 05: |
Propose restructuring of "non-personnel" part of part of Parent Trust Fund for Daejeon Campus. Request yet again accounting of "personnel" part. [rbl30apr05] |
May 2005 |
|
|
1 May 05: |
Written exchange with KAIST Auditor Yeo In-cheol concerning April trip expenditures. [rbl01may05] |
|
9 May 05: |
Articulate policy for new School of Culture Technology - specifically the need for a long-term revenue model. [rbl09may05] |
|
12 May 05: |
Draft speech about maiming accident of student Kang Ji-hoon. Ask Vice President Shin Sung-chul to arrange meeting with Kang's lawyer. [rbl12may05] |
|
13 May 05: |
Publish 10th Chosun Ilbo column: "My Ammo Belt". |
|
16 May 05: |
Forward to Dean of Student Affairs Kang Chang-won complaint from student about broken promises for instruction in English. Vice President Shin Sung-chul reports that Kang Ji-hoon's lawyer refuses meeting. Also says that KAIST counsel Lee Kang-won is "reluctant" to meet. [rbl16may05] |
|
19 May 05: |
Fly to San Francisco. Security clearance interview at Livermore. Float idea of sending all undergraduates abroad to Dean of Student Affairs Kang Chang-won. [rbl05may05, rbl19may05, kk06may05] |
|
21 May 05: |
Return to Seoul. [rbl05may05] |
|
23 May 05: |
Visiting Professor Park Kwang-chung writes about humanities deficiency at KAIST. [pkc23may05] |
|
24 May 05: |
Huge 2-day outdoor rock concert begins at KAIST. [rbl24may05, cbk25may05, cyw19may05] |
|
25 May 05: |
Ask Harrison Lee to contact Korea University Law Dean about General Counsel problem. [rbl25may05] |
|
26 May 05: |
Vice President Shin Sung-chul reveals plan to meet with friend at Kim & Chang to discuss maiming case. [ssc26may05, rbl26may05] |
|
27 May 05: |
Articulate "open network" policy to new Academic Information Dean Yoon Hyun-soo. [rbl27may05] |
|
28 May 05: |
Write to Korea University Law Dean Chai Ih-shih about upcoming meeting. [rbl28may05] |
|
29 May 05: |
Propose to Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won a plan to pressure the KAIST student newspapers to publish bilingually and electronically. [rbl29may05] |
|
30 May 05: |
Meet with Korea University Law Dean Chai Ih-shih. Discover that Korea University has the same problem. Discover that Korean Institute for Advanced Study (KIAS) has huge private endowment with no written authority chain for spending. [rbl30may05] |
|
31 May 05: |
Contact President Gu of Tsinghua University in Beijing concerning massive undergraduate student exchange. [rbl31may05] |
June 2005 |
|
|
1 Jun 05: |
Attend Ho-Am Prize ceremony in Seoul. Meet Samsung heir Lee Jay-yong. [rbl01jun05, ljy09jun05] |
|
3 Jun 05: |
MOST cuts APCTP budget, thus causing work on APCTP web journal to begin in earnest. [rbl03jun05, jjs04jun05, jjs07jun05] |
|
4 Jun 05: |
Publish 11th Chosun Ilbo column: "I Wish I Had a Car". KAIST Profs. Oh, Jun-ho and Yoon, Jeong-ro resign as Dean of High-Tech Venture Center and Dean of School of Humanities and Social Sciences. [rbl04jun05] |
|
7 June 05: |
Students protest closing of joint business degree program. Mr. Park, Kyung-sin contacted about serving as KAIST General Counsel. [rbl07jun05] |
|
9 June 05: |
Announce 10% holdback policy of Parent Trust Fund. Propose Mr. Park, Kyung-sin to Dean Chang and Vice President Shin as new General Counsel. Discuss closing Department of Biosystems and reinvesting resources in stem cell research. Answer students business major petition. [rbl09jun05] |
|
10 June 05: |
Prof. Yang, Tae-young asked to create Business Economic Minor on Daejeon campus. [rbl10jun05] |
|
11 June 05: |
Depart for San Francisco for son's graduation. [rbl28may05] |
|
12 June 05: |
Order financial pressure on student newpapers to become electronic and bilingual. Request unix expert from Dean of Academic Computing Yoon, Hyun-soo for re-engineering web presence. [rbl12jun05] |
|
13 June 05: |
Students threaten strike if joint business degree policy not reversed by 21 Jun 05. [rbl13jun05] |
|
14 June 05: |
Management School Dean Park, Sung-joo asked to compensate students (about 10) normally selected for joint degree program with preferred admission to regular graduate programs. Strike delayed by allowing students to be "selected" as usual. [rbl14jun05, kcw14jun05] |
|
15 June 05: |
Dean Park writes that he does not agree. Write to Vice President and deans explaining the "business model" implications of Dean Park's answer and reiterating principle that all engineering students should have access to elementary business knowledge. [rbl15jun05] |
|
17 Jun 05: |
Donor (and KAIST Trustee) Chung, Moon-soul communicates through Vice President Shin that he will not discuss the academic weaknesses of the Biosystems department with the President and, moreover, will sue both KAIST and the President if they interfere with Biosystems in any way. [rbl23jun05] |
|
19 June 05: |
Return from San Francisco. Respond to KAIST alumnus Lee, Sang-dong about elimination of joint business degree. [rbl19jun05] |
|
21 June 05: |
Lecture at Busan Science High School about "MIT Model." First contact with future web czar Kim Chan-woo. [kcw21jun05, rbl24jun05] |
|
22 June 05: |
MOST agrees to creation of KAIST General Counsel. [rbl22jun05] |
|
23 June 05: |
Policy response to threat of Chung, Moon-soul. [rbl23jun05] |
|
24 June 05: |
Parent Jung H. Shin writes to say that all of the top students at the Busan Science High School, including her own son, have chosen to attend KAIST because parents so strongly approve of transition to the "MIT Model." [rbl24jun05] |
|
27 Jun 05: |
Prof. (and KAIST Trustee) Salk, Sung-ho writes to warn of "serious disaster" that will result from taking assistant Harrison Lee on upcoming trip to Japan. KAIST Student Body President Kim, Keun-heun demands written "apology" for business program to publish on web. [shs27jun05, rbl30jun05] |
|
28 June 05: |
Resolve to defy inappropriate warning of Prof. Salk by taking Harrison Lee to Japan. [rbl28jun05] |
|
29 June 05: |
Resolve to respond to students with newspaper column. KAIST Times agrees to publish column in early August. [rbl29jun05] |
July 2005 |
|
|
1 July 05: |
Auditor Yeo In-cheol writes that taking Harrison Lee to Japan is appropriate. Mr. Park Kyung-sin indicates interest in General Counsel position. [rbl01jul05] |
|
2 July 05: |
Publish 12th Chosun Ilbo column: "The Great Tower". Reverse decision to take Harrison Lee to Japan. Depart for vacation in Maui. [rbl28may05, rbl02jul05] |
|
5 July 05: |
Draft of KAIST Times article on "Business Economics". [rbl05jul05] |
|
6 July 05: |
Vice President Shin Sung-chul, Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung and Dean of Student Affairs Kang Chang-won respond to KAIST Times draft. [ssc06jul05, kcw06jul05, hl06jul05, rbl06jul05] |
|
7 July 05: |
Submit revised KAIST Times article. [rbl07jul05, rbl08jul05] |
|
8 July 05: |
Mr. Park Kyung-sin obtains permission from Korea University Law Dean to serve as KAIST General Counsel. [pks08jul05, rbl11jul05] |
|
10 July 05: |
Return from vacation in Maui. [rbl28may05] |
|
12 July 05: |
Initiate review of language program. MOST backpedals on creation of General Counsel. Faculty object to stem cell proposal. [rbl12jul05, rbl13jul05] |
|
15 July 05: |
Depart for Japan. [ma10jul05] |
|
19 July 05: |
Visit Nara Advanced Institute for Science and Technology with KAIST Trustee Salk Sung-ho. Vice President Shin Sung-chul defies verbal order and spends on Parent Trust Fund despite without informing President. [ma10jul05, rbl22jul05] |
|
22 July 05: |
Publish 13th Chosun Ilbo column: "Let's Kill the Lawyers". Return from Japan one day late on account of weather diversion to Jeju. [rbl22jul05] |
|
23 July 05: |
Speak on Seoul campus at closing ceremony conference on public science policy organized (and paid for) by HPAIR student club. [rbl15jul05] |
|
24 July 05: |
Order written consent requirement for spending on Parent Trust Fund. [rbl24jul05, csh24jul05] |
|
25 July 05: |
Depart for Hong Kong. [rbl23jul05] |
|
26 July 05: |
Lecture at C.S. Wu - C. L. Yeun "Camp" on the campus of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Park Kyung-sin appointed as KAIST visiting professor. [ol06jul05, csh26jul05, pks31jul05] |
|
27 July 05: |
Return from Hong Kong. Fly to Jeju. [rbl27jul05] |
|
28 July 05: |
Deliver lecture at FKI Business Forum in Jeju. Return from Jeju. [hsk15jul05] |
|
30 July 05: |
Column on "Business Economics" published in the KAIST Times. [psj30jul05] |
August 2005 |
|
|
1 Aug 05: |
Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung asked to implement Management Dean Park Sung-joo's request for increased autonomy of the Management School. Harrison Lee delivers translation of Auditor Yeo In-cheol's web piece proposing "innovation program" for the staff. [rbl01aug05, hl01aug05] |
|
3 Aug 05: |
Ulsan medical ethics professor Koo Young-mo complains about reimbursement improprieties of HPAIR student conference. [hsk01aug05, rbl03aug05] |
|
5 Aug 05: |
MOST gives final approval to creation of KAIST General counsel. [rbl05aug05] |
|
7 Aug 05: |
Depart for Shanghai. [hsk05aug05] |
|
8 Aug 05: |
Attend meetings of Association of East Asian Research Universities (AEARU) at Fudan University in Shanghai. Consummate deal with President Gu to exchange students with Tsinghua University in Beijing. [rbl08aug05, rbl09aug05] |
|
9 Aug 05: |
Fly from Shanghai to Singapore. [hsk05aug05] |
|
10 Aug 05: |
Lecture at conference "Looking to the Next 100 Years of Physics ..." on Nanyang University campus. [hsk01aug05, hsk05aug05] |
|
11 Aug 05: |
Visit A*STAR and Singapore Management University. Dine with Deputy Minister Tony Tan. [hsk05aug05] |
|
12 Aug 05: |
Lecture at National University of Singapore. [hsk05aug05] |
|
13 Aug 05: |
Publish 14th Chosun Ilbo column: "Black Holes in China". Return from Singapore to Daejeon. Public Relations Dean Chun Kyung-won reports progress on new Kaist web site design. [rbl13aug05, rbl14aug05, cwk13aug05] |
|
14 Aug 05: |
Initiate search for outside vendor for English instruction at KAIST. [rbl14aug05, rbl16aug05] |
|
15 Aug 05: |
Write to Auditor Yeo In-cheol concerning his "innovation" piece on staff morale problem (not delivered to the President). [rbl15aug05] |
|
18 Aug 05: |
Propose stopping early admissions at KAIST. [rbl18aug05] |
|
19 Aug 05: |
Park Kyung-sin appointed as KAIST General Counsel. First of several extremely important communications with the GC about KAIST legal practices - in this case about the inappropriateness of having the KAIST Policy and Management Committee decide wither or not to go into contract with the law firm Kim and Chang to "manage" KAIST patent rights. [rbl19aug05] |
|
22 Aug 05: |
KBS television breaks KAIST Lab Fee scandal story. [hl22aug05 rbl23aug05] |
|
23 Aug 05: |
First web design meeting with Dean of Public Affairs Chung Kyung-won and student team. [rbl22aug05, rbl23aug05] |
|
24 Aug 05: |
Vice President Shin Sung-chul reveals lab fee improprieties to be several million US dollars per year. Second of several extremely important communications to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin about KAIST legal practices - in this case property law. The immediate issue is ownership of the KAIST brand name - in particular the rights to income generated by that brand name. The point is made that it's ludicrous to worry about flaky patent assets when this vastly more valuable asset is in legal limbo and, as a result, routinely and systematically abused. [rbl24aug05] |
|
26 Aug 05: |
Third of several extremely important communications to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin about KAIST legal practices - in this case liability law. The specific issue is the maiming accident of student Kang Ji-hoon. Point is made that no one at KAIST is actually responsible to make sure students are safe because no assets can be taken as punishment for wrongdoing. For example, the decisions to have inadequate liability coverage in the Kang case were made by temporary staff employees. [rbl26aug05] |
|
29 Aug 05: |
Attend staff "retreat" in Kyung-ju - which turned out to be a deadly serious de-facto union meeting. [rbl29aug05] |
|
30 Aug 05: |
Opening ceremony for KAIST School of Culture Technology. Students perform grotesquely modified version of President's music without first seeking permission to do so. [kw31aug05] |
|
31 Aug 05: |
Publish 15th Chosun Ilbo column: "What About Our Golf Course". First meeting of the KAIST web redesign committee (poorly attended). [kcw31aug05] |
September 2005 |
|
|
1 Sep 05: |
Sign appointment letter for Park Kyung-sin as KAIST General counsel. Web czar Kim Chan-woo begins design of directory structure. Students complain about Dean Chung Kyung-won's proposed web design. [rbl01sep05, cwd01sep05] |
|
2 Sep 05: |
Draft abstract for technology speech at Military Academy (Korean West Point). Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung forwards backchannel order to begin creation of two new Vice Presidents at KAIST. [rbl02sep05, rbl04sep05, rbl09sep05] |
|
5 Sep 05: |
Fourth of several extremely important communications to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin about KAIST legal practices - in this case labor law. GC asked to examine KAIST labor practices carefully for logical inconsistencies, fictitious legal authority and abuse. Point made that central problem of KAIST is control of budgets by labor made possible by bad law. Propose to engage in formal collective bargaining before allocation of Globalization Budget in December 2005 to avert strike in the spring. [rbl05sep05] |
|
6 Sep 05: |
Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung asks General Counsel Park Kyung-sin not to examine all contracts, as he had originally proposed to do, but instead concentrate on gaining the "big picture". President alerts GC to two property problems: $350,000 expense exhibition in Beijing and $10.4 M "value" for a building on KAIST campus. Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won criticized by students for poor artistic value of web proposals. [rbl06sep05, cwd06sep05] |
|
7 Sep 05: |
Department chairs stonewall proposal for proper accounting of Lab Fees. Public relations team leader Park Jae-wook tells reporters from Hankook Economic Newspaper that KAIST students were irresponsible in leaking Lab Fee story. [rbl07sep05] |
|
8 Sep 05: |
Detailed requests send to Dean of Public Relations, Dean of Student Affairs, Dean of Academic Affairs and Dean of Research for information to post on new KAIST web site. [rbl08sep05] |
|
9 Sep 05: |
Depart for Kyoto to deliver keynote speech at the STS Forum. Issue order to begin splitting of Vice Presidency. [hsk22jul05, hsk07sep05, rbl09sep05] |
|
12 Sep 05: |
Return from Kyoto. Receive complaint from Dr. Jong Bhak, former KAIST faculty member and presently Director of National Genome Information Center, of $17,000 impropriety in the Department of Biosciences. [rbl13sep05] |
|
13 Sep 05: |
Deliver "firm" message to Vice President Shin Sung-chul that Vice-Presidency is to be split. [rbl14sep05] |
|
14 Sep 05: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin asked to investigate the legality of demanding written account of Lab Fees from all faculty, retroactive 3 years. Vice President Shin Sung-chul asked to provide GC the name of KAIST host of the Anti-Corruption Committee visit in May 2005 and also any documents generated by the visit. Public Relations Dean Chung, Kyung-won informed of proposal to have his office report directly to the President rather than to the Vice President. Discussion with Academic Affairs Dean Kang Chang-won about serious deficiencies in KAIST language programs and the insight shown by Dr. Yang In-sun, former head of the Language Center at Rice University and also wife of Prof. Yang Tae-yang, who had recently been blackballed by the language faculty on the grounds that she was not qualified to teach English. [rbl14sep05, scs16sep05] |
|
15 Sep 05: |
General Counsel asked to investigate accusations of Mr. Jong Bhak that the Department of Biosystems violated the Korean Constitution, lower-level laws and Korean labor law. Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung asked to inform MOST Director General Cho Chang-won that President would oppose creation of School of Finance and Northeast Asia School in their present form because they compete institutionally with existing KAIST departments. Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won asked for permission in writing to work directly with Public Relations Team Leader Park Jae-wook. [rbl15sep05, rbl16sep05] |
|
16 Sep 05: |
Write to Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung concerning insubordination of Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won. Fly to San Francisco for Chuseok. [rbl17aug05, rbl16sep05] |
|
18 Sep 05: |
Vice President Shin Sung-chul reports that MOST Vice Minister Choi doesn't want to dictate how the School of Finance and Northeast Asia school programs are accommodated into the structure of KAIST. He also reports that the Vice Minister Choi disavows any order by MOST to split the Vice Presidency of KAIST. [scs18sep05, rbl18sep05] |
|
20 Sep 05: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin asked to find out whether President has the power to compel audit of Lab Fees charged by faculty. Point is made that this is a fundamental property rights issue - that the power of the institution to "compel" students to pay fees was fundamentally tuition and ought to be the property of the KAIST Board of Trustees, not the faculty. [rbl20sep05] |
|
21 Sep 05: |
Return from San Francisco. [rbl17aug05] |
|
22 Sep 05: |
Meet at Finance Ministry in Seoul with Deputy Director General. Speak at Phi Delta Kappa meeting at Yongsan army base. [sm05aug05, hsk20sep05] |
|
23 Sep 05: |
Meet in Seoul with Minister of Science and Technology Oh Myung. Agreement reached to refocus the East Asia School onto automobile technology, rather that automobile management, and relocate to Daejeon. Lean that Ministry of Information and Communication is blocking IT research funding to KAIST in deference to ICU. School of Robotics on Daejeon campus of KAIST is thus a non-starter. First learn of plans to start a School of Information and Communication on the Seoul campus of KAIST. [hsk20sep05, rbl27sep05] |
|
25 Sep 05: |
Massive written exchanges with General Counsel Park Kyung-sin about (1) contracts, (2) patents, (3) liability and (4) property and assets. [rbl25sep05] |
|
26 Sep 05: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin reports that Dean of Student Affairs Noh Young-hae secretly countermanded the President's order to fire and replace maiming suit counsel. [rbl26sep05] |
|
29 Sep 05: |
Issue campus-wide notice of the existence and duties of General Counsel. [rbl29sep05] |
|
30 Sep 05: |
Publish 16th Chosun Ilbo column: "The Perfect Storm". Korea University law faculty pressure Park Kyung-sin to renounce his authority as General Counsel and to serve KAIST only as "consultant", arguing that Dean Chai overstepped his authority. [rbl30sep05] |
October 2005 |
|
|
2 Oct 05: |
Propose "straight talk" to MOST and demand that "School of Automobile Technology" be created inside Mechanical Engineering where it belongs. [rbl02oct05] |
|
3 Oct 05: |
Dean of Research Yang Hyun-seung submits magnificent contribution to new web site. Other deans exhorted to do as well. [rbl03oct05] |
|
4 Oct 05: |
Park Kyung-sin given ultimatum: stop obfuscating or leave. Written answer to Auditor Yeo In-cheol about his "staff innovation" proposal in which the point is made that it's really about conventional labor policy. Hwang Woo-seok reports cloning of Afghan Hound Snuppy: Nature 436, 641 (2005). [rbl04oct05] |
|
5 Oct 05: |
Compromise struck with Park Kyung-sin over wording of General counsel announcement. Answer "no" given to Oh Young-sok about his language pedagogy plans on grounds that there was no funding model. Observations of Kim Chan-woo about staff morale issue forwarded to Auditor Yeo In-cheol. [rbl05oct05] |
|
6 Oct 05: |
Budget of KAIST Herald, the English language student newspaper, zeroed out. Restoration made contingent on converting to bilingual, electronic publication. Dean Choe resigns as adviser to the Herald without informing the President. [rbl09oct05] |
|
7 Oct 05: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin finds inequity in KAIST's scholarship policy, specifically in the Culture Technology program, and proposes excellent remedy. He also reveals that KAIST has $56 M in "cash" assets that are earning 4% interest - a problem, it turns out, that is also of great concern to Management School Dean Park Sung-joo. [rbl07oct05] |
|
8 Oct 05: |
Compromise struck to create the School of Automobile Technology as a separate organization unit under the Dean of Engineering but to review it in six months to see of genuine interdisciplinary research is occurring, as MOST intended. If it isn't, the next step will be to break up Mechanical Engineering. Auditor Yeo In-cheol asked if he audits the KAIST Development Fund, per allegation of General Counsel Park Kyung-sin that he is obligated to do so. It is revealed that the President chairs the KAIST Development Fund Committee - even though the President was never informed of either this committee or its meetings, nor was he ever shown an accounting. [rbl08oct05] |
|
10 Oct 05: |
Urge General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to generate labor policy recommendations speedily. Write to Auditor Yeo In-cheol about staff benefits and advancement policies. Mr. Yeo warns that President doesn't understand cultural situation. Float idea to Kim Mahn-won, Director of the Korea Institute for Advanced Studies (KIAS) to move his operation from the Seoul campus of KAIST to a new location closer to Incheon airport. Approve basic ideas of Management School Dean Park Sung-joo about expansion, acquisition of buildings and nucleation a law program. Warn Dean Park about the political dangers implicit in government ownership of the management school buildings. Inquire of Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung about the legality and feasibility of hiring outsiders as KAIST deans. [rbl10oct05] |
|
11 Oct 05: |
Instruct Dean of Research Yang Hyun-seung to stop Memorandum of Understanding with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on the grounds that the benefit to KAIST is small. Explain to Korea Institute for Advanced Study Director Kim Mahn-won explaining that people's "emotional attachment" to the Seoul campus is detrimental to KAIST's research performance. Auditor Yeo In-cheol answers that he does not audit the KAIST Development Fund and that the KAIST Development Foundation has a "separate auditor". [rbl11oct05, icy11oct05] |
|
12 Oct 05: |
Issue several important instructions to web czar Kim Chan-woo about developing design of new KAIST web site. [rbl12oct05] |
|
13 Oct 05: |
Draft communication to KAIST faculty concerning upcoming creation of additional vice presidencies and School of Automobile Technology. Accept recommendation of General Counsel Park Kyung-sin of modification to agreement with the Korean Intellectual Property Office that neutralizes its unfunded mandates. Complete and post the basic prototype of bilingual electronic KAIST Herald. [rbl13oct05] |
|
14 Oct 05: |
Lecture at Hanyang University. Discover that Public Relations Department spends $35,000 per year mailing out the KAIST Times. Write to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin about the appropriateness and feasibility of incorporating a KAIST club - and then purchasing intellectual property from the company thus created. [hl14oct05, rbl14oct05, pth14oct05] |
|
15 Oct 05: |
Prof. Choe Sook-lee writes to say that she is advising the KAIST Herald after all. She enumerates her concerns. President responds that he expects students of Korea's top technological to know how to use computers and how to write well in their native language. Responds positively to American Chemical Society about student exchanges - although insisting on clarity about who is bearing research costs. MBC Song Festival televised from KAIST campus. [rbl15oct05] |
|
16 Oct 05: |
Float idea of labor negotiations centered around the concept of extra pay for language ability - plus a free language education benefit for existing staff. [rbl16oct05] |
|
17 Oct 05: |
Answer criticism of Namgung Hyeong-uk, student adviser for the KAIST Herald, that paper is unfairly impugned. Point made that the President does not interfere with the paper's content in any way but only insists that the paper be electronic and bilingual. Float idea of requiring all low-level financial transactions at KAIST to be posted on the Internet. [rbl17oct05] |
|
18 Oct 05: |
Relieve Prof. Shi Jeong-kon of all financial responsibility for the student newspapers KAIST Times and KAIST Herald. Express concern that lack of responsiveness may be due to kickbacks. Per backchannel instructions from Seoul, confront Vice President Shin and threaten to fire him if he continues to oppose reorganization. Mr. Shin denies active lobbying but observes that KAIST Board of Trustees "has not approved the change yet." [rbl18oct05] |
|
19 Oct 05: |
Auditor Yeo In-cheol sends long answer about labor law draft alleging "grave misunderstandings" of the Korean people. To President's suggestion to meet and clarify matters, Mr. Yeo responds with threat to oppose creation of three vice presidencies at upcoming Board of Trustees Meeting. He declares Seoul Campus VP idea to be "absurd". President invites Mr. Yeo to present his views to the Board of Trustees and asks if he speaks for the Blue House. President Kim of Hanyang University (and KAIST Trustee) phones for information about reorganization turmoil. President invites General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to the Board of Trustees meeting meeting. Warns GC to distance himself from business between his old law firm and KAIST. Vice President Shin spreads rumor that Harrison Lee is responsible for KAIST Herald "misunderstandings". [icy19oct05, rbl19oct05, hl19oct05] |
|
20 Oct 05: |
Auditor Yeo In-cheol expresses outrage at accusation that he might be a spy for Blue House and demands an apology. Responds favorably to idea of speaking before the Board of Trustees but fears that Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung and Vice President Shin Sung-chul should be consulted first. Planning Team leader Lee Nam-gu reports that someone in MOST "nearly orders" Dean of Planning to move KAIST financial apparatus (Budget and Planning) as well as Public Relations to direct control of the Vice President. President forwards letter threatening to quit if this occurs. Departs for Hangzhou. [icy20oct05, rbl20oct05, hl20oct05] |
|
21 Oct 05: |
Publish 17th Chosun Ilbo column: "The Winning Band". Lecture at Hi-Tech Summit Forum held on the campus of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. Seoul National University, capitalizing on Hwang Woo-seok's successes, plans World Stem Cell Center in collaboration with Gerald Schatten. [hsk27sep05, Science 310, 419 (2005)] |
|
22 Oct 05: |
Return from Hangzhou. Write apology to Auditor Yeo In-cheol explaining that "insult" was side effect of high-stakes political struggle that required clarity about wishes of Blue House. [rbl22oct05] |
|
24 Oct 05: |
KAIST reorganization approved at Board of Trustees meeting. Auditor Yeo In-cheol speaks briefly to Trustees. Trustees Chung Kung-mo and Salk Sung-ho attempt delaying tactic to stop reorganization but are thwarted by Chairman Rim Kwan by means of parliamentary maneuver. Per backchannel instructions from MOST, Vice President Shin Sung-chul given 4-day deadline for accepting (or not) new position as Vice President of Operations. [rbl24oct05] |
|
25 Oct 05: |
Depart for Naples. Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu issues statement to the faculty about the Board of Trustees decision in name of the President without first asking permission. Harrison Lee and Driver Jeon depart for Las Vegas. [hsk18oct05, lnk25oct05, rbl06oct05] |
|
26 Oct 05: |
Lecture in Naples. Talk reported on front page of La Stampa. [at29oct05] |
|
27 Oct 05: |
Fly to Genoa. Lecture at Genoa Science Festival. Perform on talk radio. [ef18oct05, log18oct05] |
|
28 Oct 05: |
Depart for San Francisco. Fog in Munich causes 24-hour delay. Reprimand Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu for sending out notice on his own authority and ask for correction about the Seoul Campus Vice President. Ask Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung to enforce deadline given to Vice President Shin Sung-chul. Accept Dean Chang's recommendation for delay. [rbl28oct05, rbl29oct05, lnk28oct05, lnk29oct05] |
|
30 Oct 05: |
Arrive in San Francisco. Draft ultimatum for Vice President Shin sent to Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu. [rbl30oct05] |
|
31 Oct 05: |
Halloween. Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu hand-delivers written ultimatum to Vice President Shun Sung-chul. Mr. Shin declines to serve as new Vice President of Operations. This fact reported to Auditor Yeo In-cheol in a response to his note of 19 Oct 05 concerning staff morale. [lnk31oct05, scs31oct05, rbl31oct05, |
November 2005 |
|
|
1 Nov 05: |
At suggestion of Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung, invite Dean of Engineering Kim Sang-soo to become new Vice President of Operations. After some soul-searching, Mr. Kim accepts. Host Harrison Lee and Driver Jeon at Sanford home for dinner. [rbl01nov05, kss01nov05] |
|
2 Nov 05: |
Thank Dean of Engineering Kim Sang-soo for agreeing to serve as Vice President of Operations. Fly to Portland. [rbl02nov05, kss02nov05, hsk18oct05] |
|
3 Nov 05: |
Lecture at Portland State University and for the Institute for Science, Engineering and Public Policy in a public theater. Order Documentary Resolution appointing Kim Sang-soo as Vice President of Operations. Harrison Lee and driver Jeon return to Seoul. [tb01nov05, rbl03nov05, rbl06oct05] |
|
4 Nov 05: |
Return to San Francisco. Write to Shin Sung-chul thanking him for exemplary service to KAIST as Vice President. [rbl04nov05, csh03nov05] |
|
5 Nov 05: |
Depart for Japan. [rbl05nov05, hsk18oct05] |
|
6 Nov 05: |
Arrive in Kanazawa. [rbl04nov05, ti18oct05] |
|
7 Nov 05: |
Vice President Shin sung-chul accuses President of dereliction of duty taking personal trip instead of representing KAIST at the Korea-China High-Tech Expo in Beijing. [rbl07nov05] |
|
8 Nov 05: |
Lecture at Kanazawa Forum: Creativity in the 21st Century. Fly to Tokyo. Korean media report that Hwang Woo-seok collaborator Roh Sung-il is being investigated by police for alleged illegal payments for oocytes. [ti08sep05, hws08nov05] |
|
9 Nov 05: |
Deliver U-Thant Lecture at the Institute for Advanced Study at United Nations University. Lecture at Sophia University. Kim Sang-soo formally replaces Shin Sung-chul as Vice President of Operations. [ti04nov05, ri13oct05, lg05nov05, lnk02nov05] |
|
10 Nov 05: |
Return from Tokyo to Seoul. [rbl10nov05, hsk18oct05] |
|
12 Nov 05: |
Shin Sung-chul distributes bitter, self-serving memorandum to everyone at KAIST except the President in which he impugns the President's leadership and falsely claims to have raised $100 M. Prof. Gerald Shatten announces that he will no longer work with Hwang Woo-seok on the grounds that Prof. Hwang misled him about the source of oocytes used in their experiments. [rbl12nov05, hl12nov05, hws17nov05, hws18nov05] |
|
13 Nov 05: |
Send a skeleton prototype to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin for his upcoming report to MOST on the legal deficiencies of KAIST. [rbl13nov05] |
|
14 Nov 05: |
Deliver Kim Ok-gil Memorial Lecture at Ewha Women's University in Seoul. Hwang Woo-weok defends work as ethical. [wmj08nov05, hsk07nov05, hl13nov05, hws14nov05] |
|
15 Nov 05: |
Recruitment lectures at Dongsan and Seohyun High Schools in Kungkee Province. Attend alumni function of the KAIST Advanced Information and Management Program. [psj16nov05, hsk07nov05, lhs02nov05] |
|
16 Nov 05: |
Recruitment lectures at Kwangnam and Hwee-moon High Schools in Seoul. Meet with Trustee Salk Sung-ho to discuss exchanges with Nara Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. [hsk07nov05, ssh18nov05] |
|
17 Nov 05: |
Lecture to Pantec Group in Yeouido. Recruitment lectures at two high schools in Kongjoo. Conservative press begins propaganda campaign in support of Hwang Woo-seok. [ckc11nov05, hsk07nov05, hws17nov05, hws20nov05] |
|
19 Nov 05: |
Publish 18th Chosun Ilbo column: "Daughters of Science". Request that Team Leader Lee Nam-gu give special appointment (i.e. financial bonus and spending authority) to web czar Kim Chan-woo. [lnk20nov05] |
|
20 Nov 05: |
Ask General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to attend liability lawsuit hearing on 6 Dec 05 and to pay particular attention to details. Ask GC difficult questions about contracts. Ask Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung and Management School Dean Park Sung-joo to speed up financial autonomy for the School of Management. [rbl20nov05] |
|
21 Nov 05: |
Request aggressive action on bilingual campus initiative by deans. Key points are (1) wait until spring for undergraduate education experiment to conclude, (2) graduate instruction in English is a good idea but cannot be ordered by a foreigner and (3) main effort now is bilingual web presence. Harrison Lee reports that last Chosun Ilbo column, "Daughters of Science", appeared in Chosun's paper version but not in the Internet version. Hwang Woo-seok collaborator Roh Sung-il holds news conference that his research project paid women $1,400 for their eggs, in clear violation of the Declaration of Helsinki. Hwang denies knowledge of the practice [rbl21nov05, hl21nov05, hws21nov05] |
|
22 Nov 05: |
Order doubling of salaries for KAIST Times student reporters and editors. Public Relations Dean Chung Kyung-won resigns. Munhwa Broadcasting Company (MBC) program "PD Diary" exposes Hwang oocyte ethics violation. Hwang scandal hits Western press. [rbl22nov05, hws22nov05, hws23nov05] |
|
23 Nov 05: |
Instruct General Counsel Park Kyung-sin not to fight the expropriation of KAIST's digital library project and its "valuble technology" - the grounds being that the technology actually isn't valuable. General Administration Dean Lim Tae-sung lets contract for his labor lawyers automatically renew, thereby contravening order to consolidate all legal matters under GC. [rbl23nov05] |
|
24 Nov 05: |
Instruct General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to find out how "owns" the advertising revenue generated by the KAIST Times. Receive first word from Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung that Minister of Science of Technology Oh Myung might be stepping down soon. Receive backchannel suggestion from Congressman Hong Chang-sun, former President of KAIST, to be less tough the Biosystems Department. Hwang Woo-seok admits ethics violations and resigns at head of Stem Cell Hub. [rbl24nov05, hws24nov05] |
|
25 Nov 05: |
Issue instructions for upcoming labor negotiations to Vice President Kim Sang-soo and Chang Soon-heung. Ask Mr. Chang to fix bad contract written for web czar Kim Chan-woo. Depart for Kona to attend NEDO Meeting on Functional Oxides (and to vacation with wife Anita). First reports of advertisers dropping PD Diary. [rbl25sep05, rbl03sep05, ht25oct05, hws25nov05, hws27nov05] |
|
28 Nov 05: |
Leak from "PD Diary" team that show proposes to air further revelations that Hwang Woo-seok's stem cell research is faked. PD Diary loses all funding. Korean President Roh Moo-hyun urges calm. [hws28nov05] |
|
29 Nov 05: |
Accept recommendation that Kwon Hyuk-sang should be next Public Relations Dean. Approve appointment of Park Sung-joo as Vice President of Seoul Campus. [rbl29nov05, hsk29nov05] |
|
30 Nov 05: |
Return from Kona. Noh Young-hae resigns as Dean of Student Affairs. Receive questions from Korea Herald reporter Jin Hyun-joo about developing Hwang Woo-seok scandal. [rbl03sep05, nyh30nov05, jhj30nov05] |
December 2005 |
|
|
1 Dec 05: |
Appointment of Seoul Vice President delayed due to opposition to the School of Finance by the Grand National Party in the National Assembly. [csh01dec05, rbl01dec05] |
|
2 Dec 05: |
Reject Auditor Yeo In-cheol's suggestion to restore budget for mailing out KAIST Times. Staff blocks raise for web czar Kim Chan-woo but refuses to take responsibility for doing so in writing. [rbl02dec05, hl04dec05] |
|
3 Dec 05: |
Ask General Counsel Park Kyung-sin about ownership of "brand name" intellectual property created with government money. Publish 19th Chosun Ilbo column: "Beyond the Rising Sun". [rbl03dec05] |
|
4 Dec 05: |
Depart for Sendai. [sm15oct05] |
|
5 Dec 05: |
External advisory review of the Institute of Materials Research (IMR) in Sendai. Harrison Lee reports that students are protesting upcoming increases in Parent Trust Fund charges, even though no mention of increases has been made to the President. Munhwa Broadcasting Company (MBC) announces that it will not televise new installment of "PD Diary" accusing Hwang Woo-seok of falsifying data because earlier report violated "journalistic ethics". [sm13dec05, hl05dec05, hws05dec05] |
|
6 Dec 05: |
Transmit position paper about intellectual property. Targeted to APCTP but applies to KAIST also. Identifies key source of Korean research weakness to be ownership ambiguity engendered by weak property law. Former MOST Director General Cho Chan-won (just recently "promoted" to curatorship of National Science Museum in Daejeon) asks for meeting. [rbl06dec05, kmk06dec05] |
|
7 Dec 05: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin responds to intellectual property inquiry. Concurs that property law is confused. Seoul National University resolves to investigate alleged research improprieties of Hwang Woo-seok. Lecture in Sendai. [pks07dec05, hws07dec05, sm09nov05] |
|
8 Dec 05: |
Return from Japan. Arrange to personally set up KAIST Times server. [hl07dec05, rbl08dec05] |
|
9 Dec 05: |
Issue orders to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to provide detailed list of KAIST's "Important Assets" (to find out if KAIST is obeying the law) and clarify KAIST income tax status. Propose privatization of the web journal CROSSROADS to MOST. Harrison Lee reports article by Auditor Yeo In-cheol in web newspaper Daily Seoprise criticizing ethical lapses of Hwang Woo-seok. [rbl09dec05, csh10dec05, hl09dec05] |
|
11 Dec 05: |
Direct Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo to investigate liberalizing KAIST consulting rules and strangthening faculty patent rights. [rbl11dec05] |
|
12 Dec 05: |
Direct Vice-President of Operations Kim Sang-soo to set up departmental research interviews in January 2006. Hwang Woo-seok leaves hospital. Seoul National University announces that it will conduct an investigation of Hwang's work. [rbl12dec05, hws12dec05] |
|
13 Dec 05: |
Reconfirm with General Counsel Park Kyung-sin that removal of KAIST digital library project should not be fought. Answer reporter from Daeduk online newspaper about Hwang Woo-seok. Gerald Schatten asks that his name be removed from paper co-authored with Hwang Woo-seok. [rbl13dec05, hws13dec05] |
|
14 Dec 05: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin reveals that KAIST systematically violates spending oversight required by the Articles of Incorporation - in particular does not have an "Operation Fund". [rbl14dec05] |
|
15 Dec 05: |
Learn from Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu that Finance Department hires attorneys to advise on income tax matters in direct violation of order to assign General Counsel sole responsibility for hiring lawyers. [rbl15dec05] |
|
16 Dec 05: |
New York Times reports that Hwang Woo-seok fabricated research results. Harrison Lee reports rumors that Hwang Woo-seok scandal will take down Presidential Science Advisor Park Ki-young. [hws16dec05, hl16dec05] |
|
17 Dec 05: |
Munhwa Broadcasting Company suspends investigative news show "PD Diary" because of backlash over its handling of the Hwang Woo-seok affair. [hws19dec05] |
|
20 Dec 05: |
KAIST Board of Trustees meeting. Float idea of exercising Presidential power to assign more patent rights to faculty. [rbl21dec05] |
|
22 Dec 05: |
Instruct General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to clarify tax status of KAIST income from (1) patent royalties, (2) KAIST Times advertizing, (3) interest on endowment, (4) capital gains, (5) equipment sales and (5) copyrights. [rbl22dec05] |
|
23 Dec 05: |
Propose that Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won use different criteria for hiring faculty into the School of Culture Technology than it uses for the School of Engineering. Ask General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to clarify contractcual strings attached to "Presidential power" to assign patent rights. Discover that Human Relations is hiring another staff member into Public Relations despite direct order not to do so. Depart for San Francisco. [rbl23dec05] |
|
24 Dec 05: |
Instruct General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to locate fine details of law relevant to President's power to assign patent rights. Hwang Woo-seok resigns from Seoul National University over faculty finding that he faked research. [rbl24dec05, hws24dec05] |
|
25 Dec 05: |
Instruct General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to delay preparation of his report to MOST about legal situation in KAIST well into the new year. [rbl25dec05] |
|
26 Dec 05: |
Respond to questions from Science concerning Hwang Woo-seok cases. [rbl26dec05] |
|
28 Dec 05: |
Harrison Lee reports that Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung asked him a series of political questions pertaining to the President's views and intentions. Respond in writing to Vice President Chang. New obligation to appear at Korean Federation of Science and Technology with Korean President Roh on 5 Jan 06. [hl28dec05, rbl28dec05, jkh28dec05] |
|
29 Dec 05: |
Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo reports that faculty are incensed by departmental review plans and threaten to boycott. Seoul National University announces formally that Hwang Woo-seok's stem cell research was fraudulent. [kss29dec05, rbl29dec05, hws30dec05] |
|
30 Dec 05: |
Publish 20th Chosun Ilbo column: "Replace Your Radios". |
|
31 Dec 05: |
Respond to concerns of Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung about faculty interviews. Point made that confrontation is intentional. Float proposal for new staff appointment to manaage translations at KAIST Times and KAIST Herald. Harrison Lee reports news that many people blame Minister of Science and Technology Oh Myung for Hwang Woo-weok debacle and call for his resignation. [rbl31dec05, hl31dec05] |
January 2006 |
|
|
1 Jan 06: |
Float idea to Business Economics Director Yang Tae-yang of engaging his wife In-sun as language coordinator for the KAIST Times and KAIST Herald. [rbl01jan06, rbl02jan06] |
|
2 Jan 06: |
Harrison Lee reports news that Kim Woo-sik has been nominated to replace Oh Myung as Minister of Science and Technology. Rumors are that Mr. Oh is a victim of "Hwanggate". Harrison completes translation of KAIST Times prototype. [hl02jan06] |
|
4 Jan 06: |
Return to Seoul. Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung rides in car from Incheon airport to Daejeon to explain extreme political opposition in the faculty to personal interviews. [rbl04jan06] |
|
5 Jan 06: |
Meet with vice Presidents Chang Soon-heung and Kim Sang-soo about the faculty evaluation crisis. Then issue an order order to carry out the evaluations, explaining that a successful confrontation over this principle the key to creating a tenure system with teeth - something that we have high-priority orders from MOST to accomplish. [rbl05jan06] |
|
6 Jan 06: |
Trustee Salk Sung-ho proposes meeting to discuss implications of Oh Myung's stepping down. Conduct faculty interviews in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Vice President of Seoul Campus Park Sung-joo proposes to search for dean of new Finance School outside Korea. Kim Chan-woo completes prototype of electronic bilingual KAIST Times. [ssh06jan06, kmk05jan06, rbl06jan06, kcw06jan06, kcw03jan06] |
|
8 Jan 06: |
Transmit written report of faculty interviews in Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering to Vice President of Operations Kim, Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to the department chair. [rbl08jan06, kss08jan06] |
|
9 Jan 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Division of Applied Mathematics, and the Graduate School of Culture Technology. Meet with head of faculty union Kang Suk-joong. [kmk06jan06] |
|
10 Jan 06: |
Meet with Chair of Physics. He declares that the President has no right to compel faculty interviews and that his department will boycott them. Instruct Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to punish the Physics Department by denying them their 10% overhead kickback (new Globalization money) and to advise on withholding their cash flow from the Parent Trust Fund. [kmk09jan06, rbl10jan06] |
|
11 Jan 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in the Division of Mechanical Engineering. Ask Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to investigate upgrade of KAIST student unions. [kmk10jan06, rbl11jan06, csh11jan06] |
|
12 Jan 06: |
Transmit written report of faculty interviews in Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to Vice President of Operations Kim, Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to the department chair. [rbl12jan06] |
|
13 Jan 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in the Division of Aerospace Engineering. Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung delivers message from government that it would be "better" to voluntarily stop writing for the Chosun Ilbo. Suggestion respectfully rejected. Mr. Chang asked to delay "spin off" of KAIST Venture assets until General Counsel completes his report on KAIST's legal status. Receive bitter complaint from Aerospace Engineering Professor Chang Keun-shik about the Biosystems Department. [kmk12jan06, rbl13jan06, hl13jan06, cks13jan06, cks14jan06] |
|
14 Jan 06: |
Ask Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won and Vice Presidents Chang Soon-hung and Kim Sang-soo to move (or not) on paying faculty Globalization bonuses for teaching in English. [rbl14jan06] |
|
15 Jan 06: |
Write to Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung that raising private money for KAIST is impossible until the legal status of donations (i.e. who has final spending authority) is clarified. Ask Mr. Chang whether it is possible to move Biosystems Department into the School of Engineering by presidential decree. [rbl15jan06] |
|
17 Jan 06: |
Demand that Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won and Vice Presidents Kim Sang-soo and Chang Soon-heung decide "yes" or "no" to paying faculty extra to teach in English. Threaten to report their decision, whatever it is, to MOST. Dean Kang proposes compromise for upgrading Humanities and Social Sciences without detracting from KAIST's core engineering mission: empowering these disciplines to confer academic minors. Draft order allowing Prof. Sue Moon to tap and monitor Internet lines into KAIST for research purposes. First learn of new MOST directive to create a new School of Information, Communication and Media Management on the Seoul campus. [rbl17jan06] |
|
18 Jan 06: |
Clarify point with Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won that increasing importance of undergraduate education is the reason to consider humanistic minors and administrative consolidation of Natural Sciences with Humanities and Social Sciences. [rbl18jan06] |
|
19 Jan 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering and also the Department of Biosystems. [kmk18jan06] |
|
20 Jan 06: |
Transmit written report of faculty interviews in Division of Aerospace Engineering to Vice President of Operations Kim, Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to the department chair. Management School faculty comply with order to explain their business plan for new School of Information, Communication and Media Management. Representatives from Computer Science and Culture Technology (with which there is potential competition) attend the presentation. Issue instruction to Dean of Public Relations Kwon Hyeok-sang that, henceforth, all articles in the KAIST Times must have bylines. Also reprimand Dean Kwon for allowing a written "message from the President" to be published in the KAIST Times without the President's knowledge or consent. Request that all the people involved with the article be identified in print in the next issue of the Times. [rbl20jan06] |
|
21 Jan 06: |
Instruct Dean of Planning Chang Soon-heung to negotiate with MOST about changing both the English and Korean the names of the School of Information, Communication and Media Management and circumscribing its mission in writing so that it doesn't compete with Computer Science or Culture Technology. Alert the heads of Computer Science and Culture Technology to the branding problem. Yang In-sun declines to head the bilingual effort of the KAIST Herald and KAIST Times. [rbl21jan06, csh22jan06] |
|
22 Jan 06: |
Reiterate to Vice Presidents Chang Soon-heung, Kim Sang-soo and Park Sung-joo intention to publish KAIST placement statistics on the Internet. [rbl22jan06] |
|
23 Jan 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in the Division of Computer Sciences and the Department of Biological Sciences. Vice President of Budget Chang Soon-heung presents a paper draft entitled "Major Accomplishments and Future Plans" to be used by the Board of Trustees in their upcoming decision of whether to extend the President's term of service another 2 years. [kmk20jan06, rbl23jan06] |
|
24 Jan 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in the Division of Electrical Engineering. Instruct Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to allocate an extra $100,000 from the Parent Trust Fund to the Dean of Student Affairs for support of student clubs. Order Dean of Admissions Kwon Dong-soo to stop work on admissions web site pending coordination with web czar Kim Chan-woo. [kmk20jan06, rbl24jan06] |
|
25 Jan 06: |
Write to Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won about transferring budget and salary-setting power to the school deans. The argument is that the schools have fundamentally different business models and so should have different reward systems. Send severe warning to head of School of Culture Technology Kaye Wohn that his financial strategy is subject to predation by the School of Management. [rbl25jan06] |
|
26 Jan 06: |
Discover that web management office CAIS (1) has no oversight from KAIST officials, (2) is writing unnecessarily complicated software that monopolizes communication and financial transactions, (3) has large ongoing costs and (3) funds itself quietly out of the Parent Trust Fund (a.k.a. student tuitions). Order Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to stop PTF funding of CAIS as soon as possible. [rbl26jan06, yhs24jan06] |
|
27 Jan 06: |
Publish 21st Chosun Ilbo column: "The Banking Scandal". Discuss with Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won about how to upgrade the faculty with available financing "without bloodshed". [rbl27jan06] |
|
28 Jan 06: |
First attempt to contact parents of KAIST Times reporters (to obtain permission to put images online) blocked by staff. [rbl28jan06] |
|
30 Jan 06: |
Transmit written report of faculty interviews in the School of Culture Technology to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to the school head. [rbl30jan06] |
|
31 Jan 06: |
Transmit written report of faculty interviews in the Department of Biosystems and the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to respective department chairs. [rbl31jan06] |
February 2006 |
|
|
1 Feb 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews at the KAIST Graduate School of Management. Write to Academic Information Dean Yoon Hyun-soo about the management reasons for cutting the CAIS budget. Ask Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to request a KAIST history from Trustee Chung Kun-mo. (Mr. Chung co-authored the original Terman Report that led to the creation of KAIST.) [kmk27jan06, rbl01feb06] |
|
2 Feb 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews at Division of Mathematics and Department of Industrial Design. Accept dean appointment plan for KAIST School of Finance proposed by Vice President of Seoul Campus Park Sung-joo. [kmk01feb06, rbl02feb06] |
|
3 Feb 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews at Department of Industrial Engineering and the Business Economics Program. KAIST Times Chief Editor writes to complain about electronic prototype. Respond by saying (1) students will have full control soon and so can make the "look" anything they like, (2) KAIST students should know how to program computers, (3) original prototype is primitive on purpose so that it can be understood and (4) parents need to give me permission (or not) to put information about their children on the Internet. [kmk02feb06, rbl03feb06, hl03feb06] |
|
4 Feb 06: |
Write to Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu about staff blockage of spending authority for contract worker Song Hyun-ki. [rbl04feb06] |
|
6 Feb 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews at Department of Chemistry. Write to vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo and Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won about problems in Humanities and Social Sciences. Ask in strong terms for strengthened scholarship and elimination of science and technology propaganda mission. Ask Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to force the issue of spending authority for contract worker Song Hyun-ki. Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu reported to say at staff meeting, "We must get rid of Harrison Lee." Respond to Industrial Design Professor Lee Kun-po about lack of parallelism in new web design. Articulate principle that vertical design will lower maintenance costs sufficiently that faculty and students can take control of their own brand name. [kmk03feb06, rbl06feb06] |
|
7 Feb 06: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin reports preliminary findings about legal systems of U.S. universities. [pks07feb06] |
|
8 Feb 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews at School of Humanities and Social Sciences and at School of Automobile Technology. [kmk07feb06] |
|
9 Feb 06: |
Conduct faculty interviews in Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Web czar Kim Chan-woo confirms that CAIS is excessively complicated and that much of the coding itself is outsourced. Report to Dean of Academic Affairs Chang Kang-won favorable response of Humanities and Social Sciences faculty to strengthening their academic mandate and eliminating propaganda mission. [kmk08feb06, rbl09feb06] |
|
10 Feb 06: |
Articulate to web czar Kim Chan-woo intention to challenge unwritten union rule that contract workers cannot have spending authority. Explain to Admission staff member Lee Joo-hyun that President will not pay for their web efforts because they don't follow the President's instructions. [rbl10feb06] |
|
11 Feb 06: |
Discover that cash for outsourced CAIS programming comes from Parent Trust Fund and that design leadership is coming from an outside company. Write to Academic Computing Dean Yoon Hyun-soo about this problem and declare intention to zero out PTF cash flow to CAIS because CAIS doesn't help students and is also detrimental to KAIST's mission of increasing student facility with computers. Transmit written reports of faculty interviews in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of computer Science to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to respective department chairs. Write to Mr. Kim and Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung about severe problem in Computer Science and suggest appropriate administrative measures. [rbl11feb06] |
|
12 Feb 06: |
Transmit written reports of faculty interviews in the Division of Electrical Engineering, the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Chemistry to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to respective department chairs. Transmit written reports of faculty interviews at the KAIST Graduate School of Management to Seoul Campus Vice President Park Sung-joo for same purpose. [rbl12feb06] |
|
13 Feb 06: |
Transmit written reports of faculty interviews in the Division of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to respective department chairs. Further difficulties in the National Assembly with the nomination of Kim Woo-sik for Minister of Science and Technology. Minority party members on Science and Technology Committee stage publicity event on television in which they accuse President Roh Moo-hyun of appointing corrupt officials routinely and obsessively. [rbl13feb06] |
|
14 Feb 06: |
Articulate to Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung intention to return to Stanford in July 2004. Charge him to forward the message to KAIST Board Chairman Rim Kwan. Transmit written reports of faculty interviews in the Business Economic Program, the Department of Industrial Engineering, the Department of Industrial Design, the Department of Physics (particularly easy) and the School of Humanities and Social Sciences to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo for perusal and forwarding to respective department chairs. Ask Mr. Chang to pester Human Resources about KAIST Times translator problem. Instruct Academic Computing Dean Yoon Hyun-soo not to allow ETRI to tap KAIST's Internet lines unless they pay an access fee. [rbl14feb06] |
|
16 Feb 06: |
KAIST Trustee Salk Sung-ho delivers dark news about faculty sentiment. Says faculty have voted 100% against the President and that there will be "an explosion" if President's term is extended. Warn Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung that a faculty strike of some kind is likely during President's upcoming trip to US. Faculty union head Kang Seok-joon visits the President to wish him "Happy New Year". Says that he's stepping down at the end of the month and will probably be replaced by Physics Professor Yoon Choon-seop. Write to Seoul Campus Vice President Park Sung-joo about the scholarly weaknesses of the Graduate School of Management. Suggest to Mr. Park that new faculty of the Finance School should be young and have Wall Street experience. [rbl16feb06] |
|
17 Feb 06: |
Ask planning Vice President Chang Soon-heung to approve draft communication to Administration Dean Lin Tae-sung about tightened accounting for money "earned" by the KAIST brand name. Kwangjeong Educational Foundation threatens to cut off scholarship access for KAIST students unless President write science and technology propaganda article for them. Answer is "no". Order Dean of Student Affairs Yoon Wan-cheol to prepare report on how KAIST advertizes, allocates and monitors very valuable private scholarships. [csh17feb06, rbl17feb06] |
|
18 Feb 06: |
Depart for San Francisco. Instruct Planning Team leader Lee Nam-gu to begin the process of putting the entirety of KAIST law on the Internet. Write to Stanford President John Hennessy about Stanford's position on extension of term at KAIST. Instruct Dean of Student Affaist Yoon Wan-cheol to investigate giving Parent Trust Fund money to the student model airplane club Icarus. [kmk17feb06, rbl18feb06] |
|
20 Feb 06: |
Send 22nd Chosun column (never published), "The Road Not Taken," to Harrison Lee for translation. [rbl20feb06] |
|
21 Feb 06: |
Harrison Lee reports that Public Relations Department holds monthly parties for reporters that include expensive meals and karaoke girls, and that they have been systematically blocking public access to the President since early January 2006. Ask Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to verify this fact. Harrison reports that secretary Kim Min-kyung has been systematically blocking student access to the President. Dean of Student Affairs Yoon Wan-cheol sends happy greeting about "Laughlin Effect" in KAIST admissions and asks again politely but firmly for the Kwangjeong column. [hl21feb06, rbl21feb06, ywc21feb06] |
|
22 Feb 06: |
Faculty union leaks result of no-confidence vote about President to the press despite solemn promises not to do so. President orders Harrison to make counter-leak about existence of written faculty evaluations. Harrison Lee harrassed by Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo and the head of the faculty union for "not thinking of KAIST" and "not using brain". Give Mr. Kim and Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung 24-hour deadline to provide accurate information on which to make go/nogo decision about leaking full text of reports to the press. [hl22feb06, rbl22feb06] |
|
23 Feb 06: |
Answer questions about faculty revolt from reporters at Korea Herald, Yonhap News and Korean Times. Vice President of budget Chang Soon-heung telephones to explain the situation but will not write. Vice President Kim Sang-soo doesn't respond at all. [hl23feb06, rbl23feb06] |
|
24 Feb 06: |
Chosun Ilbo "inexplicably" delays publication of 22nd column, "The Road Not Taken". Unplanned KAIST Board of Trustees meeting appears on calendar for 2 Mar 07. Ask Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo to explain faculty complaints about the President in the Korea Times (Hankook Ilbo). Mr. Kim relies that he has no control over faculty. [hl24feb06, kss24feb06, rbl24feb06, kmk28feb06] |
|
25 Feb 06: |
Answer alarmed inquiries about the KAIST political situation from colleagues George Chapline and Klaus Von Klitzing. Also answer reporter Alan Brender. [rbl25feb06, rbl26feb06] |
|
27 Feb 06: |
Return to Seoul. [kmk17feb06] |
|
28 Feb 06: |
Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu reveals contract for KAIST Times translator Song Hyun-ki that expressly forbids him from making spending decisions, even though President asked clearly and repeatedly for him to be assigned such power. [rbl28feb06] |
March 2006 |
|
|
2 Mar 06: |
Answer further questions about KAIST situation from Munhwa reporter Park Sook-joon. Chosun Ilbo decides to drop column permanently. KAIST Board of Trustees meeting creates special committee to consider reappointment of the President. Ask Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to critique draft of message to parents about electronic KAIST Times. Mr. Chang says fine, but hard copy should go to anyone who wants one. Propose compromise that people pay for hard copy but get electronic copy free. Charge Harrison Lee to get yes/no decision about book from Hans Media. [rbl02mar06, csh02mar06] |
|
5 Mar 06: |
Draft extensive written response to questions about faculty revolt from KAIST Times reporter. Submit to Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung for criticism. MOST (through Mr. Chang) asks for withholding the response until after the committee decision. The President complies. [rbl05mar06, csh07mar06] |
|
6 Mar 06: |
Harrison Lee reports that Minister of Information and Communication Jin Hae-chin is replaced. Submit to Vice Presidents Chang Soon-heung and Kim Sang-soo a draft statement to the faculty that evaluations won't be published. [hl06mar06, rbl06mar06] |
|
7 Mar 06: |
Publish first issue of electronic bilingual KAIST Times! Order revised letter to parents about the Times translated and mailed out. KAIST Times advisor Shi Chung-kon suddently resigns, the grounds being that he's going on sabbatical. Verbal "globalization" seed proposals from Civils and Environmental Engineering and from Industrial Engineering forward to Dean of Research Yang Hyun-seung. Dean of Administration Lim Tae-sung and Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu reprimanded for repeatedly stalling about (1) proper accounting for non-government income and (2) giving spending authority to contract workers. Request that they confer with General Counsel Park Kyung-sin. [rbl08mar06] |
|
8 Mar 06: |
Receive another verbal "globalization" seed proposal, this time from Aerospace Engineering. Urge General Counsel to move aggressively on non-government income and contract worker issues. Request update about (stalled) letter to parents about KAIST Times. [rbl08mar06] |
|
10 Mar 06: |
Receive another verbal "globalization" seed proposal, this time from Materials Science and Engineering. Chance encounter at a music performance suggests that the Korean CIA is active at KAIST. Harrison Lee reports rumor of problems with KAIST admissions. Dean of Academic Affairs Kang Chang-won confirms rumor and explains that a new cohort of high-scoring students applied to KAIST, got accepted, and then decided at the last minute to go elsewhere. Letter to parents about electronic bilingual KAIST Times mailed out to parents. Fly to Tokyo to see son Nat. [rbl10mar06, kcw10mar06, kds14mar06, kmk09mar06, rbl07mar06] |
|
12 Mar 06: |
Return from Tokyo. [rbl07mar06] |
|
13 Mar 06: |
Stanford workstation large.stanford.edu is hacked. Book emergency trip to San Francisco to reload operating system. [cjh13mar06, rbl14mar06] |
|
14 Mar 06: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin delivers a report about KAIST income management and contract worker spending authority revealing massive confusion about what is and is not "legal". Leave for San Francisco. [pks14mar06, rbl13mar06] |
|
16 Mar 06: |
Repair hack of large.stanford.edu. Leave for Seoul. [rbl16mar05] |
|
19 Mar 06: |
Represent to Dean of Admissions Kwon Dong-soo that admissions debacle has come from targeting the wrong kind of student. Instruct General Counsel Park Kyung-sin to work with Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung to create a new regulation clarifying ownership of KAIST monies and tightening reporting requirements. [rbl19mar06] |
|
21 Mar 06: |
MOST says, through Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung, that it would not like to strengthen the rules regulating KAIST monies at this time. Explain to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin how financial control fails completely if there are even "a few" breaches. Direct seed funding inquiry of Chemistry Professor Ihee Hyotcherl to Dean of Research Yang Hyun-seung. Deflect inquiries from reporters of the Joongang Daily and the Korean Times, per instructions from MOST. [rbl21mar06] |
|
22 Mar 06: |
Hear rumor that several deans are about to resign in protest tomorrow. [rbl22mar06] |
|
23 Mar 06: |
Protest resignations from six deans. Explain to General Counsel Park Kyung-sin that this is a strike organized to pressure the Board of Trustees into appointing a KAIST insider as President. [rbl23mar06] |
|
24 Mar 06: |
Per request of Chairman Rim Kwan (conveyed through Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung) draft "thank you" speech for release to the press if Board of Trustees approves extension. No draft for a concession statement is requested. General Counsel Park Kyung-sin, presumably on orders from the Board, asks quietly about the President's "intentions" to stay or go. [rbl24mar06] |
|
25 Mar 06: |
Public Relations Team Leader Park directs MBC news crew to the head of the faculty union and then to a student "reporter" for the KAIST Times who doesn't work for the Times any more. No contact with current student reporters or with the President. [rbl25mar06] |
|
26 Mar 06: |
Unions engaging in "full court press" disinformation. Explain to Board of Trustees, through Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung, that full Board backing for reform agenda is now a nonnegotiable condition for considering reappointment. Compromise with union strong-arm tactics categorically unacceptable. Oscillate back and forth with Mr. Chang on revisions to "thank you" press release that alternately clarify and confuse this point. Write to Postech President Park Chung-mo of intention to step down as President of the Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics in Pohang. [rbl26mar06] |
|
27 Mar 06: |
Third, and final, draft of "thank you" message submitted to Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung. [rbl27mar06] |
|
28 Mar 06: |
Kaist Board of Trustees Meeting in Seoul. Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung conveys backchannel message from Chairman Rim Kwon at lunch that informal head count indicates losing by one vote. Key problems are Trustee Chung Kun-mo and Trustee Salk Sung-ho. Offers option of stepping down voluntarily before vote. President refuses this option on the grounds that the Board of Trustees must take responsibility for its own actions. Board debate lasts late into the night. Mr. Chang sends President back to Daejeon by car. Phones when car halfway to Daejeon to say that decision is "no". Informed sources later reveal that Mr. Salk led the argument against reappointment. [rbl29mar06] |
|
29 Mar 06: |
Dean of Admissions Kwon Dong-soo, extremely drunk, apologizes for not supporting reappointment. Instruct web czar Kim Chan-woo that Board vote requires him to focus effort on KAIST Times solely. [rbl29mar06] |
|
30 Mar 06: |
Harrison Lee reports that no local reporter attending the previous day's press conference reported what President actually said. All mention of "strike" and "union" censored. Also reports that a congressman is demanding a full accounting of President's travel records. Answer questions from several international reporters. [rbl30mar06] |
|
31 Mar 06: |
Send draft faculty message to Vice President of Operations Kim Sang-soo about revised strategy for spending the KAIST Globalization Budget. Begin making re-entry arrangements for Stanford. [rbl31mar06] |
April 2006 |
|
|
1 Apr 06: |
Respond to further questions by David Cyranowski at Nature. [rbl01apr06] |
|
2 Apr 06: |
Munhwa Broadcasting (MBC) runs a highly supportive program in prime time. [hl02apr06] |
|
3 Apr 06: |
Harrison Lee reports that faculty union secretly sent "Document of President Laughlin's Resignation", containing "small mistakes" (i.e. misrepresentations of academic policy, nature and cost of travel, student sentiment, etc.) to Woori congressman Yeom Dong-yeon. [hl03apr06] |
|
4 Apr 06: |
Respond to fan mail stimulated by MBC broadcast on 2 Apr 07. Respond to questions from San Jose Mercury News. Explain to Nature reporter David Cyranowski that the political situation at KAIST is still dangerous. Staff openly blocks spending authority for KAIST Times translator Song Hyung-ki. [rbl04apr06] |
|
5 Apr 06: |
Further inquiries from Mercury News. Receive visitors from organization called Christian Gospel Mission, headed by Jung Myung-seok. Harrison Lee warns against accepting invitation to visit their retreat because they've been in the news for sex scandals and murder. [rbl05apr06, hl05apr06] |
|
7 Apr 06: |
U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow visits KAIST. Delivers address on nonproliferation. Wife Anita arrives from San Francisco. [kcw06apr06, rbl18mar06] |
|
8 Apr 06: |
Harrison Lee reports that Busan Science High School (subsidized by the "gifted student" program at KAIST) will be "nationalized". Ask Harrison to phone the headmaster to find out exactly what this means. [hl08apr06, rbl08apr06] |
|
9 Apr 06: |
Reception at the Swedish Consulate in Daejeon. Learn from Korean officer in charge of science and technology public relations that she disapproves students making software and games. [rbl08apr06] |
|
10 Apr 06: |
Visit "1000 Buddhas" near Kong-ju. [rbl09apr06] |
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11 Apr 06: |
Harrison Lee reports that headmaster Moon of Busan Science High School has retired in February 2007 - one year earlier than necessary - on account of "financial difficulties" of the school that he "does not wish to talk about." Mr. Moon gives incomprehensible answer to question about how "nationalization" is different from previous lavish subsidies from MOST. (This was a "magnet" school that had boarding students from all over Korea, including Seoul. Many with affluent parents.) [hl11apr06] |
|
12 Apr 06: |
Anita returns to San Francisco. Depart with son Nat to Moscow. [rbl11apr06, rbl04apr06] |
|
17 Apr 06: |
Return from Moscow. [rbl17apr06, rbl19apr06] |
|
18 Apr 06: |
Meet with KAIST Chairman Rim Kwan to discuss future relationship with KAIST. Agreement reached for consultancy based on business, as opposed to an honorary position based on "friendship". Insist that the contract be with the new president rather than with KAIST in the abstract. Answer questions about KAIST from reporter Choe Jang-soon of the Professor's Times. [rbl18apr06, rk13apr06] |
|
20 Apr 06: |
Receive written communication from KAIST Chairman Rim Kwan that last day of work for KAIST will be 13 Jul 06. Per instructions from the Board of Trustees, sign decree drafted by Planning Team nullifying the KAIST rule that the next President of KAIST must be selected from among the KAIST faculty. (Not clear where this rule came from or when it was created.) [rbl20apr06, rbl21apr06] |
|
21 Apr 06: |
Attend Science Day celebration at COEX convention center in Seoul. Meet briefly with new Minister of Science and Technology Kim Woo-sik and Congressman (and ex-president of KAIST) Hong Chang-sun. Speak at KAIST business school event at a ski resort (Phoenix Park) in hills of Kangwon Province. [rbl22apr06] |
|
23 Apr 06: |
Harrison Lee reports conflicting news items about KAIST gleaned from the papers by his aunt: (1) Daeduknet Chief Editor Kim Yo-sep writes in the Korean version of the Economist that President made "devilish" remark and listened too much to Harrison Lee. (2) Congressman Reu Keun-chan criticizes MOST for improper handling of extension. (3) Prof. (and translator) Lee Duk-whan said at a special lecture sponsored by MOST that idolizing Nobel Prize is counterproductive. [rbl23apr06] |
|
25 Apr 06: |
Opening ceremony of the Defense Software Research Center. [kmk24apr06] |
|
26 Apr 06: |
Leave for Pohang. Meet with President Park Chung-mo of Postech to discuss future of Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics. [rbl26apr06, kmk25apr06] |
|
28 Apr 06: |
Submit draft resignation communication to the Board of Trustees of the Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics. Return to Daejeon. Reveal to student fan that faculty and staff of KAIST are openly hostile to his club. [rbl28apr06, kzz29apr06] |
May 2006 |
|
|
2 May 06: |
KAIST Board of Trustees meets to pick working chair of 1st KAIST Presidential Nomination Committee. [lnk27apr06] |
|
4 May 06: |
Opening Ceremony for Texas Instruments-KAIST Research Center. [kmk03may06] |
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6 May 06: |
Depart for Japan. [kmk21apr06] |
|
8 May 06: |
Lecture at Yukawa Institute, Kyoto University. [kmk04may06, rbl08may06] |
|
9 May 06: |
Travel to Tokyo. Discussions about science policy at RIKEN. [kmk04may06] |
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10 May 06: |
Lecture at RIKEN. [kmk04may06, kmk09may06] |
|
11 May 06: |
Return to Seoul. [kmk04may06, rbl11may06] |
|
12 May 06: |
Harrison Lee reports a statement of Minister of Science and Technology Kim Woo-sik to newspapers that KAIST reforms were "right" and that the trouble was "communication". Speak at KAIST Toastmasters club. [rbl12may06, kmk12may06] |
|
14 May 06: |
Ask Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu again to extend Korean work visa. (Original expiration is mid-June.) Propose to Vice President of Seoul Campus Park Sung-joo that Management School people fashion a sensible business model for the new School of Culture Technology. [rbl14may06, psj15may06] |
|
15 May 06: |
Mailing of consulting contract prototype mysteriously fails to arrive. Arrange for it to be sent electronically. Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu replies that work visa can be extended easily only through 13 Jul 07 - the President's last day of work for KAIST - thus precluding a stay in Korea beyond that date to work at Postech. [rbl15may06] |
|
16 May 06: |
Nobel medals shipped to Stanford. Extension of visa authorized but not actually executed. No execution date set. [rbl16may06, rbl17may06, lnk16may06] |
|
18 May 06: |
Lecture at Hanyang University's Executive Entertainment Program. [kmk17may06, rbl18may06] |
|
22 May 06: |
Ask Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung and Dean of Student Affairs Kwon Kyuk-sang one last time to seek department approval for web interface redesign. Argue that the effort will otherwise be lost. [rbl22may06] |
|
26 May 06: |
Submit completed manuscript for Waiting for a Hero to translator Harrison Lee. [rbl26may06, rbl25may06] |
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28 May 06: |
Depart for Taipei. [rbl26may06] |
|
29 May 06: |
Serve on review committee of National Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Program. [rbl26may06] |
|
31 May 06: |
Fly to Hong Kong. [rbl26may06] |
June 2006 |
|
|
2 Jun 06: |
Lecture at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. [tkn22may06] |
|
4 Jun 06: |
Ask Vice President of Seoul Campus Park Sung-joo to be excused from duty at conference on Jeju Island on the grounds that it would cause lost consultancy income at Postech. [psj05jun06] |
|
6 Jun 06: |
Depart for Singapore. [rbl20may06] |
|
7 Jun 06: |
Technical visit to A*STAR and Biopolis. [lkw01jun06, rbl07jun06, rbl08jun06] |
|
10 Jun 06: |
Return from Singapore to Seoul. [rbl24may06, rbl10jun06] |
|
17 Jun 06: |
Book flight back to the US through Hawaii. [rbl17jun06] |
|
18 Jun 06: |
Harrison Lee reports immense popular backing for Shin Sung-chul to be the next President of KAIST. [hl18jun06] |
|
19 Jun 06: |
General Counsel Park Kyung-sin makes has his re-appointment hearing in front of the deans and Auditor Yeo In-cheol - four days after deadline set by the President on 7 Apr 06. Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung says "maybe" to providing job security for web czar Kim Chan-woo and severance pay for Harrison Lee. [pks14jun06, rbl16jun06, csh19jun06] |
|
21 Jun 06: |
At request of President Unna Huh, deliver "university hour" lecture at Information and Communication University (ICU). [hl21jun06, uh10apr06] |
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23 Jun 06: |
KAIST Board of Trustees meeting in Seoul. After acrimonious debate, Board decides to offer the KAIST presidency to MIT Professor Suh Nam-pyo. [kmk12jun06] |
|
24 Jun 06: |
Harrison Lee has nightmare that Waiting for a Hero is canceled at the last minute. [hl24jun06] |
| NOTE: The email records from here on are from large.stanford.edu and dated according to Pacific Time. | |
|---|---|
|
26 Jun 06: |
Pester Vice President of Planning Chang Soon-heung and Vice President of Operations Kim sang-soo yet again about job security for Kim Chan-woo and severance for Harrison Lee. Ask Mr. Chang whether date has been set for meeting with new Minister of Science and Technology Kim Woo-sik. Receive short message from Suh Nam-pyo. Speculate to Speculate to Harrison Lee that he has accepted the KAIST Presidency. [rbl26jun06, snp26jun06] |
|
27 Jun 06: |
Goodby dinner with deans set for 12 Jul 07. [rbl27jun06] |
|
28 Jun 06: |
Float detailed proposal to privatize the Asia-Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics web journal CROSSROADS. Ask for clear yes/no answer from Postech and MOST. Harrison Lee reports that Hans Media prints 5,000 copies of Waiting for a Hero and distributes 2,000. Korea Times reporter Kim Tae-gyu makes false claim that President has signed advisor agreement with KAIST. [rbl28jun06, hl28jun06] |
|
29 Jun 06: |
Date for dinner with Minster Kim Woo-sik set for 6 Jul 07. Advise web czar Kim Chan-woo and Harrison Lee that Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu has defied the President's order to protect them and thus very likely indends to punish them. [rbl29jun06] |
July 2006 |
|
|
1 Jul 06: |
Send Harrison Lee some quotations from Lazarus Long and Sir Winston Churchill. [rbl01jul06] |
|
3 Jul 06: |
Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu requests that passport and alien registration card be submitted to his office sometime before 12 Jul 06 to process visa extension. Dinner with Minister Kin Woo-sik set for 6 Jul 06. Prof. Suh Nam-pyo asks for meeting. Respond that the meeting should take place before the inauguration and be private. [rbl03jul06] |
|
4 Jul 06: |
Planning Team Leader Lee Nam-gu declares that meeting with Mr. Suh Nam-pyo will take place on 12 Jul 07 in the KAIST President's office in the presence of Vice Presidents Chang Soon-heung and Kim Sang-soo - contrary to previous day's request for anonymity. Vice President of Seoul Campus requests and receives permission to transfer Prof. Kim In-joon from the Graduate School of Management to the Finance School. Fly to Seoul. [lnk04jul06, psj04jul06, rbl04jul06] |
|
5 Jul 06: |
Press conference for Waiting for a Hero. [rbl05jul06] |
|
6 Jul 06: |
Lunch with Minister Kin Woo-sik, MOST officials and Vice Presidents Chang Soon-heung and Kim Sang-soo. Minister Kim attests to "great help" and presents honorary plaque. Return to Pohang. [rbl05jul06, lnk03jul06] |
|
11 Jul 06: |
KAIST Auditor Yeo In-cheol regrets deans' good-by dinner. Drive to Daejeon. [rbl11jul06] |
|
12 Jul 06: |
Send passport for work visa extension stamp. Apply for Korean pension reimbursement and Daejeon pension office and receive "instant" service. Afternoon meeting with Suh Nam-pyo in the KAIST President's office, in which consultancy agreement with KAIST is refined and signed. Evening dinner with deans. [hl11jul06, rbl11jul06, lnk04jul06, lnk11jul06] |
|
13 Jul 06: |
Inauguration of Suh Nam-pyo as new President of KAIST. Drive to Seoul. Working dinner with publisher and staff of Hans Media. Drive to Incheon airport to Hyatt. Say goodby to Driver Jeon and Harrison Lee. Harrison tries to control himself but cannot and at last breaks down. [lnk03jul06, lnk10jul06, rbl11jul06, hl07jul06, rbl13jul06] |
|
14 Jul 06: |
Leave Korea for Hawaii. |