As a chemical fiber engineer who localized artificial silk for the first time, strengthened the basis of the progress of the College of Engineering, Seoul National University and devoted his whole life to the promotion of science and technology
(Late) Kim Dong-il
Professor of SNU (1908~1998)
- Academic background
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1930 ~ 1933
B.S of Engineering at Faculty of Engineering, Imperial University of Tokyo
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1952
Ph.D. at Graduate School of Seoul National University
- Professional career
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1946 ∼ 1959
Professor of the College of Engineering, Seoul National University, The 1st and 3rd Dean of College of Engineering
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1951 ∼ 1954,
1960 ∼ 1962,
1967 ∼ 1972
Chairman of Korean Chemical Society
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1966 ∼ 1976
Vice Chairman of Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies
- Awards
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1970
Order of Civil Merit, Peony Medal
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1982
Order of Civil Merit, Rose of Sharon Medal
As an educator achieved industry-university collaboration with chemical fiber, constructed an artificial silk plant, Heughan Chemical Fiber and gave efforts to grow manpower combined with theories and practices.
Professor Dong Il Kim served as the 1st and 3rd dean of the college of engineering, Seoul National University and contributed greatly to expanding the base of engineering education and training of technical personnel even in a confused period after liberation and difficult conditions in the Korean War.
After appointed as a professor of Kyungsung University after liberation, he was appointed as the first dean of the college of engineering, Seoul National University founded by integrating the formal university course of the faculty of engineering, Kyungsung University, Kyungsung Technical College, and Kyungsung Mining College. Even under the difficult conditions in the initial stage, he gave efforts to secure professors as the dean and contributed greatly to the settlement of the college of engineering, Seoul National University by responding with dignity to the left and right conflict and objection of the establishment of Seoul National University.
Even while serving as a dean, he, a chemical fiber engineer, showed enthusiasm by teaching acid and alkali, artificial fertilizer, glass engineering, gunpowder, and introduction to chemical engineering personally until appointing a full-time professor on the subjects. While serving as a professor after the tenure of the dean, he took the charge of the 3rd dean of the college of engineering in 1952 during the Korean War and tried to protect the university and its students during the war.
After finishing the service as a professor or a dean of college of engineering for 14 years in 1959, he contributed greatly to promotion of Korean science and technology, succeeding the spirit of realism, crossing the government, science and technology groups, and industries such as Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korean Chemical Society, Korean Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Technology (present Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity), Korea Energy and Petroleum Technology Institute.
Led foundation of Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies and construction of Science and Technology Hall
Leading practical affairs as a member of KOFST arrangement committee in 1966, he strived to unify about 90 science and society groups and played a key role in a fund-raising campaign for construction of the Science and Technology Hall, serving as the first vice-chairman of KOFST.
In 1959, he was appointed as the first standing member of KAERI to lead the 1st Atomic Energy Conference and prepared the base for the development of atomic energy, conducting the overseas dispatch plan to foster high-quality human resources.
By serving as the chairman of the Korean Chemical Society total 6 times from 1951 to 1972, he strengthened the base for the development of the Korean Chemical Society and accomplished building of the Chemical Society Hall in 1971, by serving as the chairperson of the science society hall construction commission.
Contributed to the development of the Korean Chemical Society through 6 times of successive service as its chairman
He became the first member of the National Academy of Sciences, acted as the head of the natural science department, and served as the chairman of Federation of Korea Ceramic Associations and the 1st ~ 3rd chairman of Korea Ceramic Society.
In 1970, he established the Korea Petroleum Industry Development Center and led nationally urgent oil exploration and development research as the first head director.
In 1978, he founded Seoul International Science Club and served also as its first head director and honorary chairman and made a great contribution to international exchange by acting as Korea representative of UNESCO general meeting, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), and International Council for Science (ICSU).
He is a chemical fiber engineer who localized artificial silk for the first time in Korea. He invented a process to reduce glass production cost during working at a Japanese chemistry company after graduating from the applied chemistry department, faculty of engineering, Tokyo Imperial University in 1933. In addition, he published 8 Japan patents and articles by developing a new manufacturing method of artificial silk yarn from tri-acetic fiber.
In 1942, he moved to the head of the Yeongdeungpo plant of Kyungsung Spinning Co. founded with native capital and showed the excellence of Korean engineers by brining better results over those of Japanese plants.
In 1949, he published several articles on tri-acetic acid fiber successively and obtained a Ph.D. degree for the first time in the college of science and engineering, Seoul National University. In 1962, he was appointed as vice president of Heunghan Chemical Fiber Co., Ltd. and constructed a viscose rayon yarn plant successfully for the first time in Korea, utilizing a career during in office of a chemical plant in the Japanese colonial era.