Man wins diploma, 42 years in the making

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Man wins diploma, 42 years in the making

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Lee Han-jun

Better late than never.
Good things come to those who wait.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Patience is a virtue.
Pick your cliche.
They’re tried and true for Lee Han-jun. The 67-year-old attended the graduation ceremony of the country’s most prestigious university last week, but he wasn’t there to watch his grandkids pick up their diplomas.
Seoul National University graduate Lee earned his bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature at the ceremony held on campus last Tuesday.
It took 42 years for Lee to earn his degree, but he called it a dream come true.
More than four decades ago, in 1962, Lee enrolled at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the university, but he couldn’t afford to take classes due to his family’s poverty.
He had to drop out and enter the working world to make a living for his family.
“I have been considered a smart man since I was young,” Lee said.
“However, after my father lost his job, my family’s financial condition got bad. So I had to go to work instead of attending university.”
Decades later, Lee took the government-sponsored scholastic aptitude test for university admission like other high school students and gained admission to the school.
“I had a good time with other students on campus during my college life,” Lee said. “I also studied hard and minored in the study of religion.”
Now, the SNU graduate has another major challenge on the horizon: His goal is to become a novelist. He hopes to publish a novel about the divided Korea Peninsula.
“Along with getting a diploma, my upcoming novel will be a milestone in my life,” Lee said.


By Kang In-sik JoongAng Ilbo [enational@joongang.co.kr]
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