MEANINGFUL DONATION BY KOR-JAP SCHOLAR

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A Korean-Japanese scholar specializing in the ancient trade route Silk Road has donated all the results of his lifelong research to Kyungpook National University before he passed away. Born in Chilgok, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, Kyuzo Kato was also known by his Korean name Lee Gu-jo. Kyungpook National University has established a Silk Road research center, based on his donation. Here is the story.

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Rare research materials on the ancient network of the Silk Road are open to the public. There are more than 15,000 books collected in countries around the world, including China and Kazakhstan. This collection was donated to Kyungpook National University by Kyuzo Kato, a Korean-Japanese scholar who studied the Silk Road in Japan. He died in 2016 at the age of 94. Born in Chilgok, Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, in 1922, he also went by his Korean name, "Lee Gu-jo." He moved to Japan when he was in his teens and accomplished remarkable academic achievements studying the ancient trade route. He donated the results to his home country before his death. His wife also contributed all of her property to support his dying wish.

[Soundbite] WIFE OF LEE GU-JO(KYUZO KATO) : "I really liked the way he conducted his research. I wanted to help him by any means. So I decided to make contributions of my own."

Based on the late scholar's donation, Kyungpook National University has established a research center to study relations of some 40 countries that existed along the Silk Road.

[Soundbite] PARK CHEON-SU(DIRECTOR, KNU SILK ROAD RESEARCH CENTER) : "This is an effort to discover the origin of Silla's culture. We plan to carry out excavations and investigations in Asia and Europe and conduct research based on discoveries made there."

Lee Gu-jo returned to his home country along with his lifelong academic achievements. His academic records are crucial to studying the history of the Silk Road that spanned from Korea's ancient kingdom Silla to Turkey's Istanbul.