Kim Yong-ok

Kim Yong-ok (金容沃, born 14 June 1948) is a South Korean philosopher, religious scholar, thinker, Korean medicine doctor, and university professor. He is from the Gwangsan clan, and his art name (hao) is Doh Ol (檮杌).

Life

Kim Yong-ok grew up as the youngest of six siblings in a family that ran the Gwangje Clinic in Daeheung-dong, Cheonan. He graduated from elementary school in Cheonan and attended Boseong Middle and High School in Seoul. He majored in biology at Korea University, studied for one year in the theology department of Korea Theological University, and then graduated from the philosophy department of Korea University. In September 1972 he went to the Republic of China, where he studied for two years at the Graduate Institute of Philosophy of National Taiwan University and received a master's degree for a thesis titled 〈The Function of "Non-action" (無爲) in Laozi's Philosophy of "Naturalness" (自然)〉 (老子｢自然｣哲學中｢無爲｣之功能). In 1974 he went to Japan and studied in the graduate department of Chinese philosophy at the University of Tokyo until 1977, earning a master's degree with a thesis titled 〈Wang Chuanshan's Theory of Movement (王船山の動論)〉. In 1977 he went to the United States and studied in the graduate programs of the Department of Oriental Studies at the University of Pennsylvania and the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at Harvard University. At Harvard he received a doctorate for a dissertation titled 〈The Philosophy of Wang Fu-chih, The Philosophy of Wang Fu-chih (1616–1692)〉. In 1990 he entered the Korean Medicine Department of the College of Oriental Medicine at Wonkwang University and also obtained a bachelor's degree in Korean medicine.¹

He has worked in many roles, including university professor, philosopher, thinker, journalist, , stage director, screenwriter, playwright, and member of theater troupes. He carried out a wide range of academic inquiry and writing covering Eastern and Western philosophy and religious thought. In September 1982 he became an associate professor in the Department of Philosophy of the College of Humanities at Korea University, and in September 1985 he became a full professor there. In 1986 he issued a declaration of conscience ("A Declaration of Conscience of an Intellectual Living in Korea Today") and resigned from his professorship at Korea University, after which he taught philosophy, literature, and other subjects at various universities. From around 1988 he also lectured regularly on broadcast programs.