Dongguk University

Myeongjin Hall, the oldest building in Dongguk University

The university began as Myeongjin School on May 8, 1906. Myeongjin School was established by the Association of Buddhism Research and took charge of Buddhism education.[6] Later in 1910 Myeongjin School was renamed as Buddhist Normal School (불교사범학교; 佛敎師範學校), and was renamed as Buddhist Higher Education Institution (불교고등강숙; 佛敎高等講塾) in 1914, and became Central Education Institution (중앙학림; 中央學林) in 1915.[6] Central Education Institution was closed by the Japanese Occupation Government from 1922 to 1928, for the reason that the institution had led Samil Undong uprising.[6] However, Buddhist temples all across colonial Korea donated 601,425 yen and established the Central Administrative Headquarters of the Joseon Buddhism Foundation (조선불교중앙교무원; 朝鮮佛敎中央敎務院) in 1924, and the foundation of Buddhist Specialised School (불교전수학교; 佛敎專修學校) was permitted in 1928.[6] Buddhist Specialised School attained the status of Central Buddhist Professional School (중앙불교전문학교; 中央佛敎專門學校) in 1930, and the Central Administrative Headquarters of the Joseon Buddhism Foundation changed its name to Jogye Academy Foundation in 1940, with also changing the school's name to Hyehwa Professional School (혜화전문학교; 惠化專門學校).[6] On May 30, 1944, Hyehwa Professional School was again closed by Empire of Japan following the mobilization.[7] After the World War II the school was reopened on October 27, 1945, and was expanded into Dongguk College (동국대학; 東國大學) on September 20, 1946.[6]

In 1951 after the Third Battle of Seoul, the college withdrew from Seoul, and provisional lectures were held in Jung District, Busan until the college got back to the original place September 1953 after the Korean War.[6] Dongguk College was one of the first institutions in the South Korea to gain university status in the western sense, being designated the present-day Dongguk University in 1953. The postgraduate school opened simultaneously.[6]

From 1950s to 1980s, the university underwent a major vitalisation. Construction of Myeongjin Hall which is the oldest building in the university now began on March, 1956, and finished on December 30.[6] In 1959, the Dongguk University Broadcasting system was initiated. The university took over Eunseok Elementary School in 1965, Heunguk Middle·High School in 1966, and Keumsan Middle·Commercial High school and Myeongseong Girls' Middle·High School in 1967.[6] The College of Education was launched in 1968 with four courses, adding Physical Education major a year later.[6] The Graduate School of Public Administration was founded in 1967, and In 1978 the Gyeongju Campus was established and opened in 1979.[6] Also during the 1960s students of the university participated in the democratic uprisings of South Korea, which caused deaths of students of the university. Students participated in the April Revolution against the autocratic government in 1960, and in 6·3 Protest in opposition to the negotiation for the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea in 1964.

In 1982, the university saw an academic overhaul which divided the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences into the College of the Arts and the College of Natural Science.[6] In 1983, the university opened Gyeongju Oriental Medicine Hospital Attached to College of Korean Medicine, and opened Pohang Hospital and Dongguk University Medical Center in 1988.[6] In 1989, the university opened Dongguk Oriental Medicine Hospital and opened Gyeongju Hospital Attached to College of Medicine in 1991.[6] In 1997 the university made an agreement with Royal University of America, which was the educational institution located in Los Angeles.[8] On March 5, 2009, Royal University of America was merged into Dongguk University, finally becoming Dongguk University Los Angeles.

In 2008, the university sued Yale University for 50 million dollars for a national scandal involved with then-assistant professor Shin Jeong-ah, which was called "Shingate".[9] In July, 2007, when Dongguk university sent a registered letter to Yale University in order to check whether her doctorate degree is fake, Yale sent a reply that her degree is a forgery and she was never enrolled in Yale.[10] Dongguk University asserted that when the university was hiring Shin Jeong-ah as an assistant professor of Graduate School of Culture & Arts on September, 2005, the university had received an answer from Yale that her doctorate degree is authentic.[10] On July, 2007, Yale contended that the Dongguk University's claim is not true and Yale had not received any official letters from Dongguk University, but later it was revealed that Yale had received the registered letter from Dongguk University.[11] On December 27, Dongguk University held a press conference and announced that Yale had admitted that Yale confirmed the authenticity of her degree and expressed regret about the case.[12] On February 1, 2008, Yale forwarded an official letter of apology to Dongguk University under the name of Rick Levin, then-president of Yale.[13] Dongguk University claimed that actions of Yale had damaged the university's reputation and sued Yale for 50 million dollars.[14] Dongguk University said that it lost millions in contributions and the opportunity to build a new law school, but the lawsuit was finally concluded with Yale's innocence over the scandal.[15][16] After the lawsuit, Yale sued Dongguk University for the cost of litigation, and on December 2, 2014, the Seoul Central District Court ordered Dongguk University to pay for 297 thousand dollars.[17]

Jeonggakwon, Korean Buddhist temple in Dongguk University

In 2010, the university sought to take over Kyonggi University for the amount of around 150 billion won but provisional board of directors of Kyonggi University rejected the Dongguk University's bid.[18] In 2012, Dongguk Business School was accredited by AACSB. In 2014, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands visited the university during the state visit to South Korea and attended a seminar held by Jeonggakwon, Korean Buddhist temple in the university.[19]

Dongguk University celebrated the 111st anniversary of the foundation in 2017, and announced new motto of 지혜, 자비, 정진 (智慧, 慈悲, 精進; Wisdom, Compassion, Endeavor) which replaced the previous motto, 섭심, 신실, 자애, 도세 (攝心, 信實, 慈愛, 度世; Steady one's clean mind, Behave truly and reliably, Love people with benevolence, Save mankind from agony).[20]

Dongguk University's main campus is located in Jung District, Seoul, just north of Namsan. The upper buildings of the campus are directly connected into the trails of Namsan park.

The campus' main entrance is at Dongguk University Station the intersection of Seoul Subway Line 3 and 4. Chungmuro Station is near the rear entrance.[21]

• Dongguk University Station
• Chungmuro Station

The university is also served by the following Seoul metropolitan buses:

• 144, 301, 420, 407, 7212

Located near the Dongguk University Ilsan hospital, the campus concentrates in the medical technology, medicine and traditional Korean medicine.

Opened in 1979, the campus is located in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.

Established in 1906, after the amalgamation of the university and Royal University of America, the campus concentrates in the traditional Korean medicine.