Paralyzed Professor Wants to Reach Those in Need

Lee Sang-muk, professor of earth and environmental sciences at Seoul National University, is known as Korea’s Stephen Hawking. He was paralyzed in a car accident in July 2006. “Do I know you?” Professor Lee could not but ask this question when he first met Lee Kun-woo, a professor of engineering at the same school, at a hotel in Seoul, last spring.

Lee Sang-muk was wondering why the fellow professor wanted to give as much as 100 million won to him even when they did not even know each other. Although they teach at the same school, they have no personal relationship. Professor Lee Kun-woo said later he felt compassion for the promising young professor’s accident.

Eager to help the paralyzed professor, professor Lee Kun-woo got the chance as he happened to receive Kyung-Ahm Research Award, an award for academic achievement, in November that year. He said in calm voice, “I gave him my prize because I just thought at that time that God gave me this chance to help him.”

When a Dong-A Ilbo reporter visited him yesterday in his office at SNU, professor Lee Sang-muk expressed his gratitude for the help he received from the unknown professor.

He had a car accident when he was conducting a geological survey at the Carrizo Plain National Monument in California.

He was paralyzed below the neck due to the injury. Among five of his students who were with him in the car at the time of the incident, a 24-year-old student, Lee Hye-jeong, died on the scene. His health was at risk as he was unable to move even his fingers freely. He also suffered from sadness of losing his student.

In the midst of the abyss of despair, the news of big donation from an unknown supporter was a ray of hope for him.

Rehabilitation took a long time and began to show small but steady signs of positive effects on his body. Last March, Lee was able to return to the class in a special wheelchair.

When the reporter visited a class where he taught yesterday, there were about 30 students in the class.

When professor Lee entered the classroom and noticed the beginning of the class by calling the roll, they finally calmed down.

Using special technology that allows him to move a computer mouse through breaths, he opened an attendance file and called the names one after another. Soon, he started his lecture, utilizing a projector and a screen.

He is able to move only above his neck. However, his physical difficulties cannot prevent him from doing his research and work. He can surf the Web and write research papers, not to mention making and receiving phone calls.

“I became a disabled person due to a car accident, but I decided to never let myself frustrate in life. I wanted to show hope to the people who are physically challenged like me,” he said.

Now he wants to help other disabled people through a scholarship foundation named after the student who died in the accident. To establish the foundation, he spent his private funds of 50 million won and received financial assistance from the school.

“I owe much to people who willingly supported me even though they had no relationship with me. Now, I think it’s time for me to bring back beneficence I received to people in need,” he explained.

Professor Lee Kun-woo was humble in his attitude, saying, “I didn’t start it with grand ambitions. In some way, I believe it all started from Kyung-Ahm Education & Culture Foundation Chairman Song Geum-jo who founded the award I received. A small seed he planted now bear fruits.”

As his touching story spread, various organizations including the Korea Employment Promotion Agency for the Disabled have asked him for lectures in their institutes. Professor Lee Sang-muk also received a number of research coordination.

“I think time flies these days. Whether it is a scholarship or lecture, I want to do my best to give hope to disabled people. Now, I realized that sharing with others becomes hope and that hope can generate a new sharing,” professor Lee said.

While moving a computer mouse through breaths to prepare for the lecture, the professor smiled beamingly to the reporter.

alwaysj@donga.com