Seoul National University 


Seung Eun SHIN 

seungeun503@snu.ac.kr

1. Anthropology at Seoul National University 


In the process of establishing national universities following national liberation from Japanese colonialism, Seoul National University was founded in 1946 as the first national university, with Keijo Imperial University as its predecessor. As one of the most prominent universities in South Korea, it provides outstanding education for undergraduates, as well as graduate and professional students across various fields. 


The Department of Anthropology at SNU, founded in 1961, trains researchers and specialists who develop critical perspectives on culture and society. We operate the Institute of Cross-Cultural Studies and the Biological Anthropology Lab, and publish the scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Studies and Korean Anthropology Review.


Cross-Cultural Studies, a semiannual publication founded in 1990, plays a crucial role in creating an academic discursive locus where in-depth analyses of diverse contemporary cultural phenomena are shared. Korean Anthropology Review, by publishing English translations of previously published Korean-language articles and original English-language research, aims to foster rich conversations between the intellectual traditions of Korean anthropology and those of global and regional anthropologies. 


The Graduate School of Anthropology, with over 100 students from diverse backgrounds and research interests, supports students' research activities in various ways and contributes to the creation of academic discourse while engaging with the broader society.

2. Seoul National University Library 


The SNU Library was founded in 1946, succeeding the buildings and book collections of Keijo Imperial University. It is renowned for having the largest collection in Korea, with 5.1 million books, including valuable ancient literature, 210,000 print and electronic journals, and 260,000 non-book materials. The library fulfills the intellectual needs of our university’s diverse constituencies, including the local community, and supports academic research.

Seoul National University Library

3. Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies


The historical origins of the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at Seoul National University trace back to the Kyujanggak, a royal academic institute founded in the late Chosŏn period.


It preserved documents, including the writings, calligraphy, and paintings of the Chosŏn rulers. Full-time scholar-officials were responsible for conducting research, advising the ruler, collecting domestic and foreign records for state administration, and printing books.

After Japan annexed Korea in 1910, the Kyujanggak was discontinued, and its collection was moved to the Keijō Imperial University Library. When SNU was established in 1946, the Kyujanggak collection was transferred to the SNU library. During the Korean War (1950-1953), the collection was relocated several times before returning to the SNU library.


In 1975, the library was reorganized, and a Kyujanggak collection management office was set up to oversee the collection. In the early 1990s, the Kyujanggak became independent from the central library and merged with the SNU Korean Culture Research Center in 2004 to promote integrated management, research, publishing, and education related to the Kyujanggak collection.

Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies

4. Seoul National University Museum of Art


The Seoul National University Museum of Art was founded in 1995 as the first university art museum in South Korea. It houses more than 900 artworks, including significant pieces that trace the development of Korean modern and contemporary art history. It systematically manages and studies its collection while hosting various exhibitions with contemporary relevance. Like the library, it aims to be an open museum for the local community, offering public educational events.


Seoul National University Museum of Art

5. Seoul National University Museum


The Seoul National University Museum was founded concurrently with the establishment of Seoul National University in 1946, acquiring the collections of the Keijō Imperial University Museum. It has conducted over 100 excavations at sites ranging from the Paleolithic period to the Unified Silla period(BCE 676~935), making significant archaeological contributions. The museum hosts special exhibitions on various topics, as well as three permanent exhibitions: the Archaeology and History Hall, the Traditional Art Hall, and the Anthropology and Folklore Hall, all of which can be viewed online.

Seoul National University Museum