△ Lee Min-ah, Manager of the Public Relations Team at the Office of External Affairs and the Branding Design Center at Kookmin University, poses for a commemorative photo on campus in front of a banner marking the university’s 80th anniversary. (Photo by Reporter Im Ji-yeon)

[The Korean University News, Reporter Im Ji-yeon] “I believe the Minister of Education Award I received last year wasn’t just an end in itself, but rather a benchmark. The sense of responsibility to ensure my future work lives up to that recognition has become the driving force behind my new initiatives.”
 
Lee Min-ah, Section Chief of the Public Relations Team at the Office of External Affairs and the Branding Design Center at Kookmin University—who received the Minister of Education Award (Grand Prize) at the 17th Korea University News University Staff Awards last year—reflected on the past year since her award as a time of “fruits” and “accumulation.” Following recognition for her 17 years of work in public relations, she is now spearheading brand initiatives that embody the university’s history and identity in celebration of Kookmin University’s 80th anniversary this year, while expanding the scope of data-driven public relations.
 
In an interview with The Korean University News on the 19th, Manager Lee Min-ah stated, “We are making Kookmin University’s brand deeper and stronger by adhering to the principle of accurately understanding the university’s values, conveying them vividly, and proving the effectiveness of our public relations efforts with data.” She added, “I am channeling the encouragement and trust I received at the time of the award into new initiatives and using them as a driving force to take our public relations work to the next level.”
 
■ Analyzing User Behavior with Data… Improving University Public Relations Methods = Drawing on her experience as a developer at Daum prior to joining Kookmin University in 2009, Manager Lee has utilized IT technology and data analysis in university public relations. She received the Minister of Education Award at the 17th Korea University News University Staff Awards last year for her contributions to enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of public relations work through initiatives such as building an integrated website system and producing content highlighting research achievements.
 
The first area he focused on for data-driven public relations was improving the website. Using Google Analytics, he analyzed the frequency of use by menu, traffic sources, and user navigation paths, and redesigned the information architecture based on these findings. He improved the website from the perspective of actual users by strengthening high-traffic menus and streamlining inefficient ones.
 
This experience with analysis and improvement led to the development of an integrated website system. By managing the main Korean, English, and Chinese websites, as well as approximately 60 other sites—including those for colleges and graduate schools—on a single platform, the university increased the efficiency of maintenance and content management. For online advertising, he applied a method that analyzes effectiveness using performance metrics such as click-through rates and conversion rates to improve budget management efficiency.
 
Improvements in public relations through data analysis also extended to the production of content highlighting research achievements. Section Chief Lee is leading efforts to showcase the university’s research capabilities by producing videos and articles featuring professors’ research, publications, patents, and industry-academia collaboration achievements. The “Professor’s Lab” video series features professor interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from laboratories, conveying specialized research content in a way that is easily understandable to general audiences. The university is expanding its reach to domestic and international audiences by distributing this content not only on YouTube but also through its website, newsletters, and English-language channels.
 
“Receiving the University Staff Award was an objective recognition of the 17 years I’ve dedicated to this field,” said Director Lee. “Public relations is a field where, if done well, it becomes second nature, but if neglected, it becomes immediately apparent. It was a great honor to have this work evaluated from an external perspective, and I remain deeply grateful to this day.”
 
■ Building a Brand for the 80th Anniversary… Capturing the University’s History and Future = To mark Kookmin University’s 80th anniversary this year, Manager Lee focused on branding efforts to communicate the university’s identity and educational philosophy both internally and externally. The commemorative projects, which had been in preparation since 2024, took shape starting with the development of a slogan and emblem, followed by the creation of a commemorative website, a custom typeface, and a premium emblem.
 
Efforts were made to consistently convey both the university’s history and its future direction.
 
The result that Section Chief Lee is particularly fond of is the 80th-anniversary commemorative typeface. The “Seonggok” and “Haong” typefaces take their names from the pen names of two figures who have shaped Kookmin University’s history. “Seonggok” is a serif typeface symbolizing “the beginning,” while “Haong” is a sans-serif typeface symbolizing “the future.” When the two typefaces are placed side by side, they form the message: “80 Years of History: Embracing the Beginning and the Future.”
 
The premium emblem is an example of how the university’s brand was expanded from two-dimensional visual elements into the physical space of the campus. It was designed so that members could tangibly experience the significance of the 80th anniversary in the spaces they frequent daily. Moving beyond conveying the university’s values through online content, the scope of brand application has been expanded so that members can experience the university’s identity in offline settings as well.
 
Section Chief Lee stated, “The 80th-anniversary commemorative typeface holds special significance in that each character embodies the path the university has taken and the direction it is heading,” adding, “The encouragement we received upon winning the award served as a strong driving force to see this project through to the end.”
 
■ “Enhancing Public Relations Through Data and AI… Accurately Conveying the University’s Values” = Manager Lee plans to enhance public relations efforts by utilizing data analysis and generative artificial intelligence (AI). The vision is to tailor messages to specific target audiences—such as prospective students, parents, teachers, and businesses—and to measure the effectiveness of these efforts through metrics while continuously making improvements. The university also plans to expand the production of videos using generative AI to effectively share the stories of more researchers and university members.
 
The university is also developing a website service to publicize professors’ research achievements. Currently in its final stages of development, this service is designed to allow for separate Korean and English pages. It focuses on enabling domestic and international readers to easily access research achievements and broadening the points of contact between researchers and society. The university also plans to continue using the typeface, emblem, and crest created to commemorate its 80th anniversary not just for commemorative projects but across all aspects of the university’s communications.
 
Section Chief Lee emphasized, “We must understand what the university researches, how it teaches, and how it engages with society in order to accurately convey the university’s value,” adding, “While technology will continue to change, the fundamentals remain the same. We will build a deeper and stronger brand by accurately understanding and vividly communicating Kookmin University’s value.”