Korea's first Ph. D who proved that Aquila Eta was a pulsating variable star
Pioneer of Korea astrometeorology who led the Meteorological Administration after liberation
(Late) Lee Won-chul
The 1st President, National Central Meteorological Service (1896~1963)
- Academic background
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1919
Graduated Department of Mathematics and Physics, Yonhee College (the first graduate)
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1922
Graduated Albion University, US
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1923 ~ 1926
M.S and Ph.D. at Department of Astronomy, Michigan University, US
- Professional career
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1926 ~ 1938
Professor, Department of Mathematics and Physics, Yonhee College
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1945
Foundation Member of Joseon Academy of Sciences
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1947
The 1st chairman, Korean Meteorological Society
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1948 ~ 1961
The 1st President, National Central Meteorological Service
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1954 ~ 1965
The 1st President, Inha Institute of Technology (present Inha University)
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1960
Member, National Academy of Sciences
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1961 ~ 1963
Foundation Director, Yonsei University
The world-renowned astrometeorologist who left a name to an asteroid (2002DB1)
Doctor Won Chul Lee is the first doctor of science in Korea and was an educator and leader who contributed greatly to the development of education, science, and technology in Korea and devoted his life to the study of stars.
As one of the first students who entered and graduated from Yonhee College, which is the predecessor of Yonsei University, all four graduates who majored in mathematics and physics went to the USA to study, but he was the only one who received the doctor’s degree.
His thesis, ‘A Study on Aquila Eta’ published as his doctoral thesis made a great contribution to the development of Korean star research, affecting deeply the astronomical community at that time and giving pride to Korean people suffering under Japanese occupation. This article was evaluated to identify that the Aquila Eta is a ‘pulsating star’ of which brightness changes, repeating expansion and contraction depending on times by precise spectroscopic observation and calculation. It was published in the ‘Publications of the Observatory of the University of Michigan.’ The Aquila Eta was left as his academic achievement giving big comfort to Korean people in the Japanese colonial period, spotlighted as a nickname of ‘Wohn-Chuhl Seong’ in the media such as Samchully.
Prepared the base of Korea weather and astronomical works in national disaster periods such as Japanese colonial times and war.
Dr. Lee served as a professor at Yonhee College and built the base of mathematics and astronomy in Korea, returning back to his alma immediately after obtaining a doctoral degree in 1926. In 1928, he installed a modern type refracting telescope in the premise of college for the first time in Korea, due to which made the level of the astronomical class continued from the opening of Yonhee College elevated.
Dr. Lee, one of representative anti-Japanese persons, made great contribution to build the base of science and technology of Korea under harsh conditions under the Japanese colonial era, undergoing ordeals to be divested of his professorship 2 times from involvement in the Suyang Donguhoe Incident, the Heugeop Club Incident, and the Korean Language Society Incident with professor Nak-jun Baek and Hyun-bae Choi.
Immediately after liberation, he devoted himself to prepare the system of a modern weather station. Under the military government, he took over the Japanese weather station, was appointed as its president, and developed it to the National Central Meteorological Service to establish the foundation of Korean weather and astronomical affairs. Serving as the 1st president of National Central Meteorological Service from 1948 to 1961, he improved weather and astronomical area in Korea and accumulated achievements such as publication of translated books to be a reference of national time by the National Central Meteorological Service, the Korea first science agency.
Established Inha College of Engineering, the first college of engineering in Korea, contributed to the merger between Yonhee College and Severance and built the base of the medical and educational community in Korea
He tried to perform the meteorological observation works normally during the Korean War and after the war, he established Gimpo International Airport Meteorological Station for restoration and meteorological support for civil aircraft to contribute to the safe navigation of civil aircraft. He made a great contribution to meteorological observation affairs and aircraft navigation in Korea, including the installation of Seogwipo Meteorological Observation Station in 1961.
Yonhee CollegeHe also made a great contribution to the foundation of the base of Korean medical circles by getting involved in the integration of Yonhee College and Severance. He acted as a member of Yonhee Foundation’s Board of Directors from 1932 to 1935 and served as a director of Yonhee and Yonsei Foundations’ Board of Directors for 10 years from 1952, contributing to promotion and training of young students. He served also as the first chairman of the Yonsei Alumni Association which was established in 1960 after the integration between Yonhee College and Severance.
He participated in the establishment process of Inha College of Engineering, the first Korean college of engineering, and was appointed as its first dean to lay the foundation for building today’s Inha University. As the very person who advanced the astronomy in Korea, he served as the founding director and head director of the YMCA and donated his academic passion and talents through university education and public science classes in spite of the poor domestic educational environment at that time.
Practicing social services in person to the end by donating his whole fortune to YMCA, Dr. Won-chul Lee remains as a shining star in the sky after the asteroid ‘2002DB1’ which was discovered by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute in 2002, was dedicated to him by the official title (Leewonchul).