Lee Jeong-gu, an honorary professor at Dankook University and a pioneering figure in the treatment of dizziness disorders in South Korea, has donated 100 million won ($70,700) to the university from his home in San Diego. The 85-year-old, known as the "Schweitzer of Anseo-dong," designated the funds for student development and medical aid in South Sudan.
The gift is Lee's second major donation to Dankook. In 2024, he contributed 100 million won — pension savings accumulated over more than two decades of service at the university. His cumulative giving now totals 200 million won. The development fund will support student training and a medical aid initiative honoring the legacy of the late Father Lee Tae-seok, a Catholic priest who devoted his life to healthcare in South Sudan.
In keeping with the donor's wishes, Dankook plans to send a medical volunteer team to South Sudan in 2027, when the university marks its 80th anniversary. The mission will draw on faculty and staff from Dankook University College of Medicine and Dankook University Hospital to provide care to underserved communities. The initiative aims to carry forward the spirit of love and service that Father Lee embodied during his work in Tonj, South Sudan.
"A physician's calling is to care for people throughout their life," Lee said. "If I can give back through my experience and skills wherever they are needed, that is simply what I must do. I hope my younger colleagues will also share their medical expertise with those in need and fulfill their responsibilities and calling as healthcare professionals."
Lee is recognized as a pioneer in the diagnosis and treatment of dizziness disorders in South Korea and a leading international authority in medical laser applications. He graduated from Seoul National University College of Medicine in 1965 and spent more than two decades in the United States working as a specialist and clinical research professor.
After joining Dankook University College of Medicine as a professor of otolaryngology in 1992, he established the diagnostic, testing and treatment framework for dizziness disorders — a field that was largely unfamiliar in South Korea at the time.
In 1994, Lee founded the Korean Balance Society and launched the Vestibular Function Test workshop to train specialists and build an academic foundation for the field. In 2009, he established the Medical Laser and Medical Device Research Center at Dankook University, laying the groundwork for domestic development of medical laser equipment.
Even after retiring, Lee has continued to support the next generation of researchers. In 2025, he endowed the Lee Jeong-gu Academic Award through the Korean Society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery to fund research and scholarly activities by young investigators.
Until last year, Lee and his wife Kim Won-suk — a former head nurse at Dankook University Hospital — traveled together to medically underserved regions including Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Mexico to provide volunteer medical care, continuing their lifelong commitment to service.
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