Pastor Kim Si-Young, the Korean Union Conference Seventh-day Adventist Language Institute(SDALI) Director, has successfully defended his dissertation, January 18, 2007. His thesis is, “An Evaluation of the 1000 Missionary Movement Training Program Cross-cultural Perspectives”. He will be awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree at the Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies in the Philippines graduation exercise on March 11, 2007.
Dr. Kim started his work on this dissertation eight years ago when he was the director of the 1000 MM in the Philippines. Shortly after he had started the program, he was called to be the KUC SDALI director, a position he has held until now. Because of the work load and challenges he has had to face at the Institute, he was unable to put priority in the research and writing of his dissertation. Coming to his seventh year as SDALI director, he has been instrumental in putting the institute on the map of Korea for its excellence as well as being a mission oriented entity.
According to Dr. Kim, the SDALI will open its 39th language school in Koomi City, South Korea, soon. A building has been purchased to this end. The physical plant is being remodeled. The launch of this new institute is connected to the fact, that the SDALI has signed a contract with the Samsung Credu, a subsidiary of the Samsung Corporation. The Credu division is involved in education, having developed an internet interview program called OPIC (Oral Proficiency Interview through Computer). Since SDALI also has a branch in every location where the Samsung Credu has a branch, except for Koomi City it seemed logical to target Koomi City for this next Institute branch. This contract allows all branches of the SDALI to be the sole training and testing center for the OPIC program. With this new institute, Dr. Kim has 40 language institutes under his supervisory portfolio. The Mongolia Mission Field Language Institute in Ulaan Bataar, Mongolia is also indirectly under his supervision.
In this first quarter of 2007, the SDALI has an enrollment of 55,000 students, an increase of 6,000 students in comparison to the first quarter of 2006. It is a great challenging field for mission for the faculty, staff and officers of the SDALI.
When asked on how he feels about the completion of his doctoral program, he said, “ it has taken me a very long time and I am very relieved that it has finally been accomplished”.
The Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) Education Department, officers and staff of NSD wish to congratulate Dr. Kim Si-Young on his accomplishment. We will continue to pray that under his leadership with his faculty and staff, the SDALI will again make marked accomplishments for mission in 2007.
