The representative mascot of Pusan National University (PNU), “Sanjini,” is causing confusion as it is being used as two different versions. Due to the delay in the official character registration, despite a new version of Sanjini that has been seen at festivals and events, the old one is still being used on the official website.

Sanjini was created by bringing dynamism into an eagle, the symbol of PNU. Its name originates from wild birds such as “eagle" and "hawk," consisting of pure Korean words. The old Sanjini has been used in various forms for campus announcements and events, but due to its sharp appearance, students kept requesting its modification. According to this demand, in 2020, PNU embarked upon a Sanjini renewal led by "Pusan National University Mall," the official brand store of PNU. 

PNU Mall decided on the new Sanjini design based on a survey that conveyed student preferences. An official from PNU Mall stated, "The existing character has undergone occasional modifications, and we figured out that there should be a vast overhaul,” and continued "we redesigned it into a cuter version of Sanjini that might bring favorable responses in different products and events."

The new Sanjini has gained positive responses from PNU members, but it has only been used in festivals, events, and PNU Mall products; it has yet to be officially used due to the cost and approval procedures as the registration is currently on hold. The official website of PNU still features the old Sanjini as the main character, and the chatbot service that launches on March 6 also has the old Sanjini registered. 

PNU students are skeptical about the various forms of Sanjini. PNU Student A (Dept. of Business Administration, 21) said, "There are still vending machines on campus with pictures of the old Sanjini, and it confuses me whether the character has been officially switched or not.” PNU Student B (School of Economics, 18) said, "I thought it was the official character since it was frequently applied at events, but I never imagined that the prior Sanjini would still be used.” 

PNU headquarters exclaimed that it has set the modification to the new Sanjini in stone and is following the relevant procedures. However, the registration is being delayed due to significant time and cost. Jang Hyun-Jong (Manager, Division of Public relations and Communications) said, "Since it is selecting the university's mascot, it should be carried out carefully to avoid any discrepancies," and "As it is a legal process, we cannot solidify the exact schedule, but we are working to change it within this year." 

Reporter Jo Seoung-Won

Translated by Yoon Seo-Jin