Soongsil University's root trace back to 1897, when Dr. W. M. Baird, an American missionary started teaching from his residence in Pyong Yang and was then given the title of the first university in Korea. Later during the Japanese occupation and Korea lost its sovereignty, Soongsil University made national liberalization its top priority and took the lead in the national independence movement. In 1938, the school even decided to close down in protest against forced worship at Japanese shrines. Even throughout Korea's tumultuous history, Soongsil has always striven to be the first.