Popular professor outlines charity foundation plan; ‘Politics could be one of the means of contribution’


Software entrepreneur-turned-professor Ahn Cheol-soo, said at a press conference to introduce his new charity that his essential goal was to contribute to society, but that politics could also be one way of doing that.

“Throughout my entire life, I have sought ways to contribute to the qualitative growth of our society and politics could be one of them,” Ahn said on Monday.

His words came in response to media speculation on whether the foundation kick-off could in anyway be related to his much-expected political debut.

“Whether or not I decide to join the political arena, however, is not the key point,” he said.

Ahn refused to answer further questions on the matter.

The foundation, tentatively named the Ahn Cheol-soo Foundation, is to focus on assisting education and job projects with the aim to help talented underprivileged youths become social leaders, Ahn explained.

The Seoul National University professor and anti-virus software developer announced last November his plan to donate half of his 37 percent stake in AhnLab Inc., his firm, to the establishment of a charity foundation.

“Donation is not about showing mercy but paying back the benefits one has received from society,” Ahn said.

“As an expert in the corresponding fields, I thought of integrating information technology and social network services to donation.”

During his recent trip to the United States, Ahn met Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and the world’s largest charity foundation, to exchange opinions and receive advice.

But Ahn said he would refrain from the management of the foundation and continue in his current job as dean of the state university’s Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, he said.

“My role in this project is the initial proposer and main donator, not the operator,” he said.

“I will nevertheless be willing to be of help to the foundation, as long as I am not directly involved.”

The foundation will be run by a five-member board of directors, led by Park Young-sook, a leading activist.

Park, widely known for her decades-long commitment to women’s rights, served as an opposition lawmaker in the 1980s and a presidential aide under President Kim Dae-jung.

The other four members have been chosen for their expertise in law, accounting, job creation and donation, Ahn said.

The board is to file for the registration of the foundation within the month and the actual launch is expected to be in late March or early April, officials said.

Ahn, who has no political experience, was touted as a potential candidate in the run up to last year’s Seoul mayoral by-elections.

Though he eventually announced support for activist Park Won-soon, he has since been mentioned as a potential presidential candidate and plausible rival to conservative Park Geun-hye.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)