CNU held the Yongbong Agora New Year’s Talk, seeking solutions to revive the university and the region, at Information Maru, the digital library on campus, on January 30.
 
President Jung emphasized the relationship between the university and the region by comparing it to the redwood in the United States, highlighting their shared destiny and offering suggestions for mutual growth. Despite growing over 100 meters tall, the redwood's roots are only about three meters deep, yet they are strongly interconnected, maintaining the center and supporting the tree.
 
During the Q&A that followed, various ideas and alternatives were presented to address concerns such as ▲ employment for students, ▲ financial concerns for university staff, ▲ determining the appropriate size of student enrollment, ▲ expectations for the revitalization of the Yeosu campus from local residents, and ▲ measures to address the declining student population.

President Jung emphasized that the solution for the development of the university and the region lies in employment opportunities. In particular, efforts are being made to improve employment conditions, as the national university presidents, including those of CNU’s President Jung, have suggested expanding the recruitment of local talent to 35% in public institutions, which has been passed by the National Assembly, benefiting graduates from local universities in over 200 public institutions nationwide.

This discussion will be broadcast on Gwangju-Jeonnam regional cable television in February and will also be available on CNU's official YouTube channel.