Kyunggi High School

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Kyunggi High School

Hangul	경기고등학교
Hanja	京畿高等學校
Revised Romanization	Gyeonggi Godeung Hakgyo
McCune-Reischauer	Kyŏnggi Kodŭng Hakkyo

Kyunggi High School is the oldest modern secondary school in Korea, and has educated many leaders of South Korean society. Before the abolition of high-school entrance exams, it was the highest-ranked school in the country. It is located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, today one of South Korea's most prosperous areas. The current principal is Lee Gi-Sung (이기성).

The school was established by edict of King Gojong on April 4, 1899, and opened its doors on November 10, 1900. The school's original name was Gwallim Middle School (관림중학교). Its establishment was part of a general program of educational modernization. This effort at modernization was swallowed up by the Japanese annexation in 1910, but the school itself survived. Originally chartered as a middle school, it became a high school in 1906. However, it continued to offer middle-school classes until 1971.

In 2000, the South Korean government issued a commemorative 170-won stamp, marking the school's 100th anniversary. [1]

Alumni associations for the school are widespread throughout Korea and abroad. Famous alumni include former ambassador Hong Seok-hyun and Hannara Party leader Lee Hoi-chang, as well as early Korean Communist Party leader Pak Hon-yong (class of 1919). An Asian Game 2006 gold-medalist(three) and 2007 World Aquatics Championships gold-medalist Park Tae-Hwan is a twelfth grader, expecting to graduate in February 2008.(Korean academic year starts in March and ends in February)