KB News Desk
Chungnam National University and Kongju National University have agreed on the name of their planned merger and will operate headquarters in both Daejeon and Gongju, the two schools said Friday.
The decision was approved Thursday at the third meeting of the universities’ joint integration committee, following discussions through a preparatory committee and working-level subcommittees.
Under the agreement, the merged university will retain the name Chungnam National University, while its legal address will be registered in Daejeon.
The universities said retaining the name is intended to symbolize the merged institution’s ambition to serve as a flagship national university encompassing both Daejeon and the wider South Chungcheong region.
Administrative functions, however, will be divided between the Daejeon and Gongju campuses under what the universities described as a “functional governance” model designed to prevent major administrative responsibilities from being concentrated at a single campus.
The universities said they will now prepare a formal merger application based on the agreement.
Before submitting it to the Education Ministry next month, the plan will go through additional procedures including review by the integration promotion committee, votes among university members, academic affairs meetings and university councils.
The two schools also plan to hold separate and joint briefings and public hearings to explain the proposed merger and gather feedback from faculty, staff and students.
“The merger is not just about expanding the university’s size, but about innovation through cooperation,” Chungnam National University President Kim Jeong-Kyoum and Kongju National University President Lim Kyeong-ho said in a joint statement.
“By connecting Daejeon’s strengths in science, technology and medicine with South Chungcheong Province’s education and industrial base, we aim to develop into one of Korea’s leading flagship national universities,” they said.
