고황경 高凰京

Founder of Seoul Women's University and sociologist (listed in collaboration rosters)

Life & career

Go Hwang-gyeong (高凰京, 1909-2000) was a sociologist and educator born in Hanseong, of the Jeju Go clan, with the pen name Barom. After Gyeongseong Girls' High School and Doshisha Women's College in Japan she studied in the United States and earned a doctorate at Michigan State University with a dissertation on female delinquency. Back in Korea she taught at Ewha women's college.

After liberation she was principal of Gyeonggi Girls' High School (1945) and head of the women's bureau of the US military government's health department (1946). After the Korean War she worked in Britain, returned in 1961, founded Seoul Women's University and served as its first dean and honorary president. She was first president of the Korean Mothers' Association, head of the Girl Scouts of Korea and a life member of the National Academy of Sciences.

During the colonial period she took part in women's groups under the Government-General and in radio lectures, and during the Pacific War supported the war through speeches and round-tables. She was therefore included in the 2002 list of 708 collaborators, the 2008 draft list for the Dictionary of Pro-Japanese Collaborators and the 2009 list of 705. Her father Go Myeong-u was a professor at Severance Medical College; he and her sister Go Bong-gyeong were taken north in the Korean War. The family had been Protestant for four generations.

Scholarship and Return

She studied in Japan and the US and earned a doctorate with research on female delinquency, then served as professor, principal and head of the military government's women's bureau.

Founding Seoul Women's University

She returned in 1961 and founded Seoul Women's University as first dean, also leading women's and youth groups such as the Mothers' Association and the Girl Scouts.

Assessment of Colonial-Era Activity

Her activity in government-affiliated groups and war-support speeches led to her inclusion in several collaboration lists. A fair account notes both her educational contributions and this record. Go Hui-dong of the same clan also has a debated wartime record.

Grave

Her tomb was not confirmed.

Descendants

She remained unmarried.

Other 제주 고씨 figures