Shock in Go powerhouse nation: Decision made to abolish world's only Go department at South Korea's university

Korea, known as a strong Go country, has decided to abolish the Go department at Myongji University. Myongji University is said to be the only Go department in the world. Korea is now showing its strength in international Go competitions.
However, the existence of the Go department at Myongji University is essential to this process. The Korean newspaper Hankyoreh said, "Considering the popularity of Go, which has recently been increasing through its appearance in TV series, abolishing the department is a wise decision.
"There are also opinions that we should pay more attention to this issue," he said. Go is said to have originated in China about 3,000 years ago, and was introduced to Japan via the Korean Peninsula in the 5th or 6th century. Until the 20th century, Go skills were considered to be superior to those of other countries in Japan.
was the world's best. At the beginning of the 20th century, Japan was the only country with a professional Go organization, so many talented people came to Japan from Korea and China. Cho, who is known for building the foundation of the modern Korean Go world,
Nam Chol (1923-2006) was one of them. Cho became a professional Go player with a first-dan rank in Japan in 1941, returned to Korea in 1943, and founded the Hanseong Go Association after the war.
The Hanseong Go Institute changed its name to the Chosun Go Institute in 1947, the Daehan Go Institute in 1949, and became the Korean Go Institute, the headquarters of the Korean professional Go association, in 1954.
Cho won the National Championship in 1956, a newspaper chess tournament, nine times in a row, and then won the Haoh Championship and the Saikyo Championship, which began in 1959.
Korean Go players who learned Go in Japan were active in the 1960s, and Korean Go players such as Seo Bong-soo also began to emerge in the 1970s.
In the 21st century, South Korea and China have overtaken Japan and are competing for dominance. The number of Go players in South Korea has increased, and it is now estimated that there are about 40
In recent years, with the spread of the Internet and smartphones, online Go has also become popular.
Some parents even make their children take Go lessons, and there are even Go schools. There are also many "Go dojos" that train professional Go players. They are provided with everything they need, including meals and laundry, so they can concentrate on Go.
Elite Go players are trained in these schools. Korea now boasts unrivaled strength in the world of Go, and in February of this year, they won their fourth consecutive championship in the 25th Nongshim Shin Ramen Cup (Nongshim Cup), a team tournament between Japan, China and Korea.
Meanwhile, in March of this year, Sumire Nakamura, the youngest Japanese player to win a female Go title, moved to South Korea, which became a hot topic in both Japan and South Korea.
Nakamura, who attended the event, commented on the Korean Go scene, "The overall level is high, and it is a country where research is progressing well. There is an atmosphere that values the finer details of Go, and I was able to learn about that from strong teachers.
"I want to continue to develop the game," he said. The rise of South Korea in the world of Go is due in part to the presence of the Go Department at Myongji University in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, near Seoul.
Founded in 1997 as the world's first Go department, it has a small, elite staff of around 100 people and is a pioneer in the Korean Go world, developing talent to popularize the game, establishing Go studies, and developing Go education programs.
Students are not only learning Go skills, but also studying a wide range of subjects related to Go, including its history, education, and culture.
However, Myoung-chi University began discussing the future of the department in 2022, and recently decided to abolish it due to a worsening financial situation and a decline in the number of young people who play Go.
The Korean Go Association said it would stop recruiting students. There are concerns that this decision could lead to a decline in the competitiveness of Korean Go. According to the South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh, Jeong Bong-soo of the Korea Go Association
"The enthusiasm for Go is growing in Central Asia, Europe and Taiwan," said the chairman. "Korean players continue to hold the top spot in the world, so we need to work to expand the popularity of Go in order to promote 'K-Go.'
"I don't understand why they would abolish the department, despite the fact that there are many students from overseas," he said.
Professor Hyun told the newspaper, "It is very unfortunate that they decided to close the department, especially since there are many international students from Japan and China." People from overseas have also expressed their regret over the department's closure.
Professor Nam and 69 students filed a lawsuit in court seeking to stop the plan to close the school, but the Seoul High Court dismissed the lawsuit on the 7th of this month. Professor Nam and others have filed a second appeal. They will wait for the Supreme Court's decision.
The Hankyoreh reported, "There are various ways to become a professional Go player outside of going to college, but up until now, the Go department at Myongji University has played a role in nurturing diverse talent that will broaden the base of Go beyond just professional players.
"It has fulfilled its role," he said, explaining, "which is why the entire Go world is shaken by the abolition of the department."