“All people receive similar stimuli, and how they respond to the same stimuli changes the course of their lives,” said Professor Kim Eon Jong (Department of Classical Chinese) in his lecture called “Stimuli and Response.” On the 28th of April, he marked a beginning of the ten lectures that will be given to the prisoners of the Seoul Southern Detention Center.

 

This program, called “Humanities Lecture That Gives Hope,” was launched after the agreement was made between the center and KU on March 7. The Seoul Southern Detention Center initially asked the College of Liberal Arts at KU for the talent donation. Choi Duk Soo, the chief of the College, gave a wide consent for such a proposal. After selecting ten professors who had volunteered, the lectures were categorized into Literature, History, and Philosophy, which altogether falls under Humanities.

 

The reason KU assented to donate their knowledge without requiring any compensation was simple. “It was the lack of basic understandings in the field of humanities which led the prisoners to commit crimes,” Professor Kim claimed with an uneasy smile. The professors were well aware of the fact that replenishing the prisoners’ vacancy in humanities will greatly help them become a new person.

 

Quoting a portion of Professor Kim’s lecture, they hoped that the prisoners would believe “God makes people’s body and soul sick before lending them infinite power, and only to those who overcome adversity would such ability be given.” He said that it is never late to "become saints like Confucius, Mencius, and Dasan Jung Yak Yong." It is one's choice of how to respond to the stimuli.

Park Jong Kwan, the chief of the Detention Center also acknowledged the importance of basic information about how to live going forward. He first pinpointed that prisoners in the Center will someday be the neighbor of the people out in the society and said, “It may be difficult to expect any immediate change after the lecture, but if it delivers the core issues of life it will be a good basis for the prisoners returning to society.”

 

The “Humanities Lecture That Gives Hope” first had a number of concerns about its effect and facility. Nevertheless, it has so far relieved such worries. As for the overall facility, the initial planning of the lecture was organized in March, but was delayed at the request of the Detention Center for its installation and maintenance The “Humanities Lecture That Gives Hope” first had a number of concerns about its effect and facility. Nevertheless, it has so far relieved such worries. As for the overall facility, the initial planning of the lecture was organized in March, but was delayed at the request of the Detention Center for its installation and maintenance works. Thanks to such efforts, prisoners have been able to learn in a well-constructed environment.

 

“Everything was absolutely perfect,” Professor Kim stated. The behavior of the prisoners had not been an exception. They all placed themselves on seats and did not take their eyes off the man standing at the front who was telling stories about life and wisdom. As if not to lose a word, they all showed an attentive and reverential attitude for about an hour and a half. Only a few opportunities were given, if any, to these people to attend such lectures, and they seemed to know it was their one and only chance to absorb knowledge and change themselves.

 

“What I have done was to put every attention to adapt to prison life and endure the pain. However, after hearing his lecture, I now understand what to think of afterwards and how to live on,” stated an old man in his fifties at the Detention Center. Others displayed similar responses that Professor Kim’s lecture had enlightened their narrow sights and gave them hope for the future. In this regard, the lectures demonstrated potential for improvement and change that could be upon these people.

 

The core significance to the “Humanities Lecture That Gives Hope” is in the welfare of the prisoners. There is no doubt that these people lack basic understandings in a wide range of area. Nonetheless, the society and people outside the prison usually treat them with contempt and ignorance.

 

“Prisoners are in fact some of the loneliest people on earth. Society should listen to their words and give much interest to their welfare,” Professor Kim insisted. Like his words, more attention should be devoted to these people in Detention Centers. Professors in the KU College of Liberal Arts believe the lectures will greatly improve the level of concern toward them.

 

Humanities lectures will be arranged twice a month on Mondays until June and then will continue on Fridays in the second half of the year with equal duration. There was a lecture on April 28 by Professor Kim, a lecture on May 12 by Professor Kang Jae Hoon (Department of Korean History) delivering information about “The Dream of Chosun Dynasty”, and another on May 26 by Professor Shim Kyung Ho (Department of Classical Chinese) speaking about “Our Culture and Chinese Character.” There are still a number of lectures remaining this month and afterwards to be progressed.

 

The contract between KU and the Seoul Southern Detention Center will bottom out after ten lectures, but there is hope that such efforts to provide classes for prisoners who are thirsty for the knowledge of humanities will continue. The appraisal from both lecturers and members of the audience is pointing in an affirmative direction, and further improvements are foreseen throughout the program. Marking its starting point with the Seoul Southern Detention Center, KU and our society will proceed to clasp these dormant people with open arms.