%43%4f
-
Simultaneous On and Off Gene Control with Gene Scissors
<(From left to right) Dr. Soo Young Moon, KAIST Institute of Life Science,Professor Ju Young Lee, Graduate School of Engineering Biology (Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences),Dr. Myung Hyun Noh, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT),Researcher Nan-Yeong An, Department of Biological Sciences>
Turning genes on and off is like flipping a light switch, controlling whether genes in a cell are active. When a gene is turned on, the production of proteins or other substances is promoted; when it's turned off, production is suppressed. Korean researchers have gone beyond the limitations of existing CRISPR technology, which focused primarily on "off" functions, by developing the world's first innovative system that can simultaneously turn genes on and off, opening a new paradigm for the synthetic biology-based bio-industry.
A joint research team led by Professor Ju Young Lee of KAIST Graduate School of Biological Engineering (Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences) and Dr. Myung Hyun Noh of the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), an organization under the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST) , announced on the 21st that they have developed a new dual-mode CRISPR gene editing system that can simultaneously turn on and off desired genes in E. coli.
E. coli is a representative microorganism that is easy to experiment with and can be directly applied to industrial uses. Meanwhile, CRISPR technology is considered one of the most innovative tools in 21st-century biotechnology.
In particular, bacteria, which are the foundation of synthetic biology, have a simple structure and multiply rapidly, while also being able to produce a variety of useful substances. Therefore, gene activation in bacteria is a key technology for designing "microbial factories," and its industrial value is very high.
The core of synthetic biology is to design the genetic circuits of living organisms like programming a circuit board to perform a desired function. Just as switches are turned on and off in an electronic circuit, a technology is needed to optimize metabolic pathways by activating certain genes while suppressing others. The dual-mode gene scissors developed by the research team are the key tool that enables this precise gene regulation.
Existing CRISPR gene scissors were primarily specialized for the "off" function (repression) and were excellent at blocking gene expression, but their ability to turn genes on was very limited.
Furthermore, for CRISPR to work, a specific DNA recognition sequence (PAM, protospacer adjacent motif) is required, and the narrow range of PAM recognition in existing systems limited the scope of genes that could be controlled.
In addition, while CRISPR-based activation (CRISPRa) has been somewhat developed in eukaryotic cells (human, plant, and animal cells), there were limitations in bacteria where the "on" function did not work properly due to differences in their internal transcription regulation mechanisms.
To overcome these limitations, the research team expanded the target range to access more genes and significantly improved gene activation performance by utilizing E. coli proteins. As a result, the gene scissors, which were previously "mainly for turning off," have evolved into a system that can simultaneously control both "on" and "off."
The performance verification results of the developed system were very impressive. In gene activation experiments, expression levels increased by up to 4.9 times, and in repression experiments, they could be suppressed by up to 83%.
Even more astonishing was the ability to control two different genes simultaneously. The team successfully activated one gene by 8.6 times while simultaneously repressing another by 90%.
< (Left) The principle of the dual-mode CRISPR gene scissors. When the guide RNA (gRNA) binds to the target sequence, dxCas9-CRP either promotes (CRISPRa) or inhibits (CRISPRi) the binding of RNA polymerase near the transcription start site, precisely controlling gene expression. (Center) A large-scale screening of the entire E. coli genome is conducted to identify key regulatory targets for optimizing target substance production. The metabolic pathway for producing the target substance is then re-engineered by simultaneously regulating gene expression through activation and repression. (Right) The dual-mode CRISPR gene scissors system enables systematic redesign of cell metabolism, precise reconfiguration of gene expression, and the construction of microbial strains that can perform various functions, ultimately leading to a significant increase in target substance productivity. In this study, the dual-mode CRISPR system was applied to E. coli to demonstrate the enhanced production of 'violacein,' a purple functional biopigment with anticancer effects, and its potential for expansion to other bacterial species was also confirmed. >
To demonstrate the practicality of this technology, the research team challenged themselves to increase the production of 'violacein,' a purple pigment with anticancer properties. Through large-scale experiments on all genes of E. coli, they identified genes that help in violacein production.
As a result, production increased by 2.9 times when the 'rluC' gene, which helps protein production, was turned on, and by 3.0 times when the 'ftsA' gene, which helps cell division, was turned off. When both genes were controlled simultaneously, a greater synergistic effect was observed, achieving a remarkable 3.7-fold increase in production.
Dr. Myung Hyun Noh of KRICT stated, "Precise gene activation is now possible in bacteria," and "This will greatly contribute to the development of the synthetic biology-based bio-industry."
Professor Ju Young Lee said, "This research is a successful outcome of combining gene scissors with synthetic biology to significantly enhance the efficiency of microbial production platforms," and "The ability to control a complex genetic network with a single system presents a new research paradigm." He added, "This technology has also been confirmed to work in other bacterial species and can be utilized in various fields such as the production of biopharmaceuticals, chemicals, and fuels."
< (A) A diagram of the violacein biosynthesis pathway, a functional biopigment produced from the starting material L-tryptophan through several enzymatic reactions. Violacein is a functional substance with broad applications in various industries and research fields, including medicine, healthcare, dyes, textiles, food and beverage, and cosmetics. (B) The results of a large-scale screening of gRNAs for gene activation and repression using the dual-mode CRISPR gene scissors system confirmed a 2.9-fold increase in violacein production (mg/L) upon rluC activation and a 3.0-fold increase upon ftsA repression compared to the control group. >
The results of this research, with Dr. Soo Young Moon, a postdoctoral researcher at our university's Institute of Life Science, as the first author, were published online in 'Nucleic Acids Research,' a top-tier journal in the field of molecular biology, on August 21st.
Paper Title: Dual-mode CRISPRa/i for genome-scale metabolic rewiring in Escherichia coli
Author Information: Soo Young Moon (KAIST, First Author), Mi Ri Kim (KRICT), Nan-Yeong An (KAIST), Myung Hyun Noh (KRICT, Corresponding Author), Ju Young Lee (KAIST, Corresponding Author) (Total of 5 authors)
DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad818
This research was supported by the joint research and development program of the Ministry of Science and ICT, the National Research Foundation of Korea, and Boston Korea.
2025.09.22 View 1522 -
The Secret of Our Success Author Joseph Henrich to Deliver Special Lecture at KAIST
KAIST announced on the 19th that its Institute for Mind and Brain Sciences and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Science will be hosting a special lecture by world-renowned cultural evolution scholar, Professor Joseph Henrich of Harvard University. The free lecture will take place on the 22nd at the Conference Room on the 1st floor of the Meta-Convergence Hall at the KAIST main campus, with support from the Gikwan Foundation. The event is open to the public.
Professor Henrich, a professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard, is a leading authority on the evolution of culture and cooperation. He was recognized for his work on the origins of human cooperative behavior through a comparative study of 15 small-scale societies, earning the 2024 Panmure House Prize* (Adam Smith 300th Anniversary Prize) and the 2022 Hayek Book Prize.
* Panmure House Prize: An academic award established in honor of Adam Smith's scholarship, named after the building where he lived.
< Poster for Special Lecture by Professor Joseph Henrich of Harvard University >
His representative books, "The WEIRDest People in the World" and "The Secret of Our Success," have created a significant stir in both academia and the general public by offering new interpretations of the formation and development of human society from a cultural evolution perspective.
"The WEIRDest People in the World" emphasizes that human thought and behavior are products of specific cultural environments rather than universal truths. "The Secret of Our Success" presents a new perspective on how humanity, through cultural artifacts like language, tools, and institutions, has achieved unique success compared to other animals.
The lecture will be divided into two sessions: an academic seminar and a public lecture. The academic seminar, held from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, will be conducted in English on the topic of "Cultural Evolutionary Psychology, Kinship, and the Historical Origins of Modern Psychological Differences." It is intended for researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students in related fields.
Following this, a public lecture will be held from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM on the topic of "The Collective Brain: Social and Cultural Origins of Creativity." Professor Jeong Jae-seung of KAIST's Department of Brain and Cognitive Science will serve as the moderator, and simultaneous interpretation will be provided.
The lecture will cover how innovation and creativity are products of a collective intelligence formed by diverse people exchanging ideas through networks. It will also discuss how the pace of innovation within a population is determined by key factors such as community size, social connectivity, and cognitive diversity, and how these principles explain innovation in various social contexts, including cultural psychology, immigration, urbanization, and institutions. There will also be a Q&A session with the author of "The Secret of Our Success."
Regarding the lecture, Professor Henrich stated, "In human evolution, culture is not just a backdrop; it's the core driving force that makes us human. Through this lecture, I want to share how we have learned from each other, cooperated, and developed knowledge and institutions. I especially look forward to having a deep conversation with the audience about the evolutionary significance of the passion for education and learning culture in Korean society."
Professor Jeong Jae-seung of KAIST's Department of Brain and Cognitive Science said, "This lecture was organized to explore how the human mind and brain have evolved through interaction with culture. It will be a valuable opportunity to hear the insights of a world-renowned scholar from the interdisciplinary perspective of meditation science and brain and cognitive science."
To register for the event, you can use the link (https://forms.gle/7TW9FAKv1qgA3dBBA) or the QR code on the poster. For inquiries, please contact the KAIST Institute for Mind and Brain Sciences at 042-350-1361.
2025.09.19 View 1224 -
KAIST Develops AI Crowd Prediction Technology to Prevent Disasters like the Itaewon Tragedy
<(From Left) Ph.D candidate Youngeun Nam from KAIST, Professor Jae-Gil Lee from KAIST, Ji-Hye Na from KAIST, (Top right, from left) Professor Soo-Sik Yoon from Korea University, Professor HwanJun Song from KAIST>
To prevent crowd crush incidents like the Itaewon tragedy, it's crucial to go beyond simply counting people and to instead have a technology that can detect the real-
inflow and movement patterns of crowds. A KAIST research team has successfully developed new AI crowd prediction technology that can be used not only for managing large-scale events and mitigating urban traffic congestion but also for responding to infectious disease outbreaks.
On the 17th, KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced that a research team led by Professor Jae-Gil Lee from the School of Computing has developed a new AI technology that can more accurately predict crowd density.
The dynamics of crowd gathering cannot be explained by a simple increase or decrease in the number of people. Even with the same number of people, the level of risk changes depending on where they are coming from and which direction they are heading.
Professor Lee's team expressed this movement using the concept of a "time-varying graph." This means that accurate prediction is only possible by simultaneously analyzing two types of information: "node information" (how many people are in a specific area) and "edge information" (the flow of people between areas).
In contrast, most previous studies focused on only one of these factors, either concentrating on "how many people are gathered right now" or "which paths are people moving along." However, the research team emphasized that combining both is necessary to truly capture a dangerous situation.
For example, a sudden increase in density in a specific alleyway, such as Alley A, is difficult to predict with just "current population" data. But by also considering the flow of people continuously moving from a nearby area, Area B, towards Area A (edge information), it's possible to pre-emptively identify the signal that "Area A will soon become dangerous."
To achieve this, the team developed a "bi-modal learning" method. This technology simultaneously considers population counts (node information) and population flow (edge information), while also learning spatial relationships (which areas are connected) and temporal changes (when and how movement occurs).
Specifically, the team introduced a 3D contrastive learning technique. This allows the AI to learn not only 2D spatial (geographical) information but also temporal information, creating a 3D relationship. As a result, the AI can understand not just whether the population is "large or small right now," but "what pattern the crowd is developing into over time." This allows for a much more accurate prediction of the time and place where congestion will occur than previous methods.
<Figure 1. Workflow of the bi-modal learning-based crowd congestion risk prediction developed by the research team.
The research team developed a crowd congestion risk prediction model based on bi-modal learning. The vertex-based time series represents indicator changes in a specific area (e.g., increases or decreases in crowd density), while the edge-based time series captures the flow of population movement between areas over time. Although these two types of data are collected from different sources, they are mapped onto the same network structure and provided together as input to the AI model. During training, the model simultaneously leverages both vertex and edge information based on a shared network, allowing it to capture complex movement patterns that might be overlooked when relying on only a single type of data. For example, a sudden increase in crowd density in a particular area may be difficult to predict using vertex information alone, but by additionally considering the steady inflow of people from adjacent areas (edge information), the prediction becomes more accurate. In this way, the model can precisely identify future changes based on past and present information, ultimately predicting high-risk crowd congestion areas in advance.>
The research team built and publicly released six real-world datasets for their study, which were compiled from sources such as Seoul, Busan, and Daegu subway data, New York City transit data, and COVID-19 confirmed case data from South Korea and New York.
The proposed technology achieved up to a 76.1% improvement in prediction accuracy over recent state-of-the-art methods, demonstrating strong perf
Professor Jae-Gil Lee stated, "It is important to develop technologies that can have a significant social impact," adding, "I hope this technology will greatly contribute to protecting public safety in daily life, such as in crowd management for large events, easing urban traffic congestion, and curbing the spread of infectious diseases."
Youngeun Nam, a Ph.D candidate in the KAIST School of Computing, was the first author of the study, and Jihye Na, another Ph.D candidate, was a co-author. The research findings were presented at the Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD) 2025 conference, a top international conference in the field of data mining, this past August.
※ Paper Title: Bi-Modal Learning for Networked Time Series ※ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3711896.3736856
This technology is the result of research projects including the "Mid-Career Researcher Project" (RS-2023-NR077002, Core Technology Research for Crowd Management Systems Based on AI and Mobility Big Data) and the "Human-Centered AI Core Technology Development Project" (RS-2022-II220157, Robust, Fair, and Scalable Data-Centric Continuous Learning).
2025.09.17 View 1679 -
The Fall of Tor for Just $2: A Solution to the Tor Vulnerability
<(From Left) Ph.D candidate Jinseo Lee, Hobin Kim, Professor Min Suk Kang>
KAIST research team has made a new milestone in global security research, becoming the first Korean research team to identify a security vulnerability in Tor, the world's largest anonymous network, and propose a solution.
On September 12, our university's Professor Min Suk Kang's research team from the School of Computing announced that they had received an Honorable Mention Award at the USENIX Security 2025 conference, held from August 13 to 15 in Seattle, USA.
The USENIX Security conference is one of the world's most prestigious conferences in information security, ranking first among all security and cryptography conferences and journals based on the Google Scholar h-5 index. The Honorable Mention Award is a highly regarded honor given to only about 6% of all papers.
The core of this research was the discovery of a new denial-of-service (DoS) attack vulnerability in Tor, the world's largest anonymous network, and the proposal of a method to resolve it. The Tor Onion Service, a key technology for various anonymity-based services, is a primary tool for privacy protection, used by millions of people worldwide every day.
The research team found that Tor's congestion-sensing mechanism is insecure and proved through a real-world network experiment that a website could be crippled for as little as $2. This is just 0.2% of the cost of existing attacks. The study is particularly notable as it was the first to show that the existing security measures implemented in Tor to prevent DoS attacks can actually make the attacks worse.
In addition, the team used mathematical modeling to uncover the principles behind this vulnerability and provided guidelines for Tor to maintain a balance between anonymity and availability. These guidelines have been shared with the Tor development team and are currently being applied through a phased patch.
A new attack model proposed by the research team shows that when an attacker sends a tiny, pre-designed amount of attack traffic to a Tor website, it confuses the congestion measurement system. This triggers an excessive congestion control, which ultimately prevents regular users from accessing the website. The research team proved through experiments that the cost of this attack is only 0.2% of existing methods.
In February, Tor founder Roger Dingledine visited KAIST and discussed collaboration with the research team. In June, the Tor administration paid a bug bounty of approximately $800 in appreciation for the team's proactive report.
"Tor anonymity system security is an area of active global research, but this is the first study on security vulnerabilities in Korea, which makes it very significant," said Professor Kang Min-seok. "The vulnerability we identified is very high-risk, so it received significant attention from many Tor security researchers at the conference. We will continue our comprehensive research, not only on enhancing the Tor system's anonymity but also on using Tor technology in the field of criminal investigation."
The research was conducted by Ph.D. candidate Jinseo Lee (first author), and former master's student Hobin Kim at the KAIST Graduate School of Information Security and a current Ph.D. candidate at Carnegie Mellon University (second author).
The paper is titled "Onions Got Puzzled: On the Challenges of Mitigating Denial-of-Service Problems in Tor Onion Services." https://www.usenix.org/conference/usenixsecurity25/presentation/lee
This achievement was recognized as a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind study on Tor security vulnerabilities in Korea and played a decisive role in the selection of Professor Kang's lab for the 2025 Basic Research Program (Global Basic Research Lab) by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
< Photo 2. Presentation photo of Ph.D cadidate Jinseo Lee from School of Computing>
Through this program, the research team plans to establish a domestic research collaboration system with Ewha Womans University and Sungshin Women's University and expand international research collaborations with researchers in the U.S. and U.K. to conduct in-depth research on Tor vulnerabilities and anonymity over the next three years.
< Photo 3. Presentation photo of Ph.D cadidate Jinseo Lee from School of Computing>
2025.09.12 View 1707 -
KAIST Holds Opening Ceremony for Advanced Semiconductor Research Equipment
KAIST announced on the 8th of September that its Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology held an opening ceremony for advanced equipment at 3 p.m. on the 8th at the Department of Electrical Engineering (E3-2) in the main campus in Daejeon. The event unveiled state-of-the-art research infrastructure that can be utilized by industry, academia, and research institutions.
The event was attended by approximately 80 people, including KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee, Daejeon Mayor Jang Woo Lee, and officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, companies, and research institutions. The ceremony included a plaque of appreciation presented to Synopsys Korea, congratulatory speeches, and an introduction to the equipment. Attendees toured the newly established equipment and facilities, expressing high expectations for the development of local industries.
<Group photo of attendees at the opening ceremony of advanced equipment at the Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology>
The advanced equipment introduced this time is a key infrastructure for research in semiconductor devices, materials, and packaging. It provides a comprehensive research environment that covers the entire semiconductor development process, from design and simulation to fabrication and evaluation. It is expected to function as a practical hub for collaboration between industry, academia, and research institutions, as it will be open not only to KAIST professors and students but also to local companies and research organizations.
In particular, the Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology is a core institution that simultaneously promotes next-generation technology development and talent cultivation in the semiconductor sector, a national strategic industry. It serves as a hub for strengthening the competitiveness of the Korean semiconductor industry. Semiconductors, which are the foundation of all advanced industries, including artificial intelligence, batteries, autonomous driving, and defense, are in a field of fierce global supply chain competition. Therefore, establishing an educational and research hub where industry, academia, and research can closely cooperate is essential. The opening of this advanced equipment facility holds national significance, extending beyond simple research to support the establishment of a sustainable semiconductor ecosystem.
Daejeon City is actively supporting this project with an investment of 4.9 billion KRW. This reflects the city's commitment to consolidating its excellent research infrastructure and talent in the semiconductor industry to use it as a new growth engine for the local economy. The city's key strategy is to foster Daejeon into a practical hub for the Korean semiconductor industry through cooperation with KAIST.
<KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee giving a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony of advanced equipment at the Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology>
KAIST also received a donation of a semiconductor process/device simulation software (TCAD) license from Synopsys Korea, a leading global semiconductor design software company, which provides it with world-class semiconductor education and research infrastructure.
The support project for the Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology is being pursued over a five-year period from 2023 to 2028, with a total budget of 21.5 billion KRW (15 billion KRW from the national government, 4.9 billion KRW from the city, and 1.6 billion KRW from KAIST's own funds). A faculty of 34 professors from the Department of Electrical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering plan to cultivate more than 225 highly skilled master's and doctoral level professionals. Currently, 123 students are enrolled in the graduate school, and it has achieved tangible results, such as carrying out collaborative projects with about 20 companies in an industry-academia consortium.
Daejeon Mayor Jang Woo Lee emphasized, "I hope that the combination of Daejeon's research infrastructure and talent will lead to the development of local industries. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with and actively support KAIST."
Gyeong-shin So, CEO of Synopsys Korea, stated, "I hope KAIST students will gain advanced simulation experience using TCAD and grow into key talents who will lead the global semiconductor industry."
<Photo of the tour of the Graduate School of Semiconductor Technology's equipment room>
President Kwang Hyung Lee said, "Daejeon is the optimal location for the semiconductor industry, equipped with the best research infrastructure and personnel in Korea. With the opening of this advanced equipment facility as an opportunity, KAIST will further contribute to strengthening national semiconductor competitiveness by creating innovative research results and fostering global talent."
This opening of the advanced equipment facility and the donation from Synopsys Korea are evaluated as important milestones that will lead to the qualitative growth of the Korean semiconductor industry. KAIST plans to cultivate global-level semiconductor talent and contribute to the development of the semiconductor industry on a national scale beyond Daejeon by developing new curricula and textbooks and promoting joint industry-academia projects in the future.
2025.09.09 View 2176 -
Semiconductor Leadership Spotlighted in Nature Sister Journal
<(From Left) Prof. Shinhyun Choi, Prof. Young Gyu Yoon, Prof.Seunghyub Yoo from the School of Electrical Engineering, Prof. Kyung Min Kim from Materials Science and Engineering>
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 5th of September that its semiconductor research and education achievements were highlighted on August 18 in Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering, a sister journal of the world-renowned scientific journal Nature.
Title: Semiconductor-related research and education at KAIST DOI: 10.1038/s44287-025-00204-3
This special "Focus" article provides a detailed look at KAIST's leadership in next-generation semiconductor research, talent development, and global industry-academia collaboration, presenting a future blueprint for Korea's semiconductor industry. Editor Silvia Conti personally conducted the interviews, with KAIST professors including Kyung Min Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Young Gyu Yoon, Shinhyun Choi, Sung-Yool Choi, and Seunghyub Yoo from the School of Electrical Engineering, participating.
KAIST operates educational programs such as the School of Electrical Engineering, the Department of Semiconductor Systems Engineering, and the Graduate School of Semiconductor Engineering. It is leading next-generation semiconductor research in areas like neuromorphic computing, in-memory computing, and 2D new material-based devices. Building on this foundation, researchers are developing new architectures and devices that transcend the limitations of existing silicon, driving innovation in various application fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and medicine.
Notably, research on implementing biological functions like synapses and neurons into hardware platforms using new types of memory such as RRAM and PRAM is gaining international attention. This work opens up possibilities for applications in robots, edge computing, and on-sensor AI systems.
Furthermore, KAIST has operated EPSS (Samsung Advanced Human Resources Training Program) and KEPSI (SK Hynix Semiconductor Advanced Human Resources Training Program) based on long-standing partnerships with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Graduate students in these programs receive full scholarships and are guaranteed employment after graduation. The Department of Semiconductor Systems Engineering, newly established in 2022, selects 100 undergraduate students each year to provide systematic education. Additionally, the KAIST–Samsung Electronics Industry-Academia Cooperation Center, which involves more than 70 labs annually, serves as a long-term hub for joint industry-academia research, contributing to solving critical issues within the industry.
The article emphasizes KAIST's growth beyond a simple research institution into an international research hub. KAIST is enhancing diversity and inclusivity by expanding the hiring of female faculty and establishing a Global Talent Visa Center to support foreign professors and students, attracting outstanding talent from around the world. As a core university within the Daedeok Research Complex (Daedeok Innopolis), it serves as the heart of "Korea's Silicon Valley."
KAIST researchers predict that the future of semiconductor technology is not in simple device miniaturization but in a convergent approach involving neuromorphic technology, 3D packaging technology, and AI applications. This article shows that KAIST's strategic research direction and leadership are gaining attention from both the global academic and industrial communities.
Professor Kyung Min Kim stated, "I am very pleased that KAIST's next-generation semiconductor research and talent development strategy has been widely publicized to domestic and international academia and industry through this article, and we will continue to contribute to the development of future semiconductor technology with innovative convergence research."
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee remarked, "Being highlighted for our semiconductor research and education achievements in a world-renowned science journal is a testament to the dedication and pioneering spirit of our university members. I am delighted that KAIST's growth as a global research hub is gaining recognition, and we will continue to expand industry-academia collaboration to lead next-generation semiconductor innovation and play a key role in helping Korea become a future semiconductor powerhouse."
2025.09.05 View 3813 -
KAIST Unlocks the Secret of Next-Generation Memory
<(From Left) Professor Sang-Hee Ko Park, Ph.D candidate Sunghwan Park, Ph.D candidate Chaewon Gong, Professor Seungbum Hong>
Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM), which is based on oxide materials, is gaining attention as a next-generation memory and neuromorphic computing device. Its fast speeds, data retention ability, and simple structure make it a promising candidate to replace existing memory technologies. KAIST researchers have now clarified the operating principle of this memory, which is expected to provide a key clue for the development of high-performance, high-reliability next-generation memory.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 2nd of September that a research team led by Professor Seungbum Hong from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, in collaboration with a research team led by Professor Sang-Hee Ko Park from the same department, has for the first time in the world precisely clarified the operating principle of an oxide-based memory device, which is drawing attention as a core technology for next-generation semiconductors.
Using a 'Multi-modal Scanning Probe Microscope (Multi-modal SPM)' that combines several types of microscopes*, the research team succeeded in simultaneously observing the electron flow channels inside the oxide thin film, the movement of oxygen ions, and changes in surface potential (the distribution of charge on the material's surface). Through this, they clarified the correlation between how current changes and how oxygen defects change during the process of writing and erasing information in the memory.
*Several types of microscopes: Conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM) for observing current flow, electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) for observing oxygen ion movement, and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) for observing potential changes.
With this special equipment, the research team directly implemented the process of writing and erasing information in the memory by applying an electrical signal to a titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin film, confirming at the nano-level that the reason for the current changes was the variation in the distribution of oxygen defects.
In this process, they confirmed that the current flow changes depending on the amount and location of oxygen defects. For example, when there are more oxygen defects, the electron pathway widens, and the current flows well, but conversely, when they scatter, the current is blocked. Through this, they succeeded in precisely visualizing that the distribution of oxygen defects within the oxide determines the on/off state of the memory.
<Overview of the Research Process. By using one of the SPM modes, C-AFM (Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy), resistive switching corresponding to the electroforming and reset processes is induced in a 10 nm-thick TiO₂ thin film, and the resulting local current variations caused by the applied electric field are observed. Subsequently, at the same location, ESM (Electrochemical Strain Microscopy) and KPFM (Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy) signals are comprehensively analyzed to investigate and interpret the spatial correlation of ion-electronic behaviors that influence the resistive switching phenomenon>
This research was not limited to the distribution at a single point but comprehensively analyzed the changes in current flow, the movement of oxygen ions, and the surface potential distribution after applying an electrical signal over a wide area of several square micrometers (µm2). As a result, they clarified that the process of the memory's resistance changing is not solely due to oxygen defects but is also closely intertwined with the movement of electrons (electronic behavior).
In particular, the research team confirmed that when oxygen ions are injected during the 'erasing process (reset process)', the memory can stably maintain its off state (high resistance state) for a long time. This is a core principle for increasing the reliability of memory devices and is expected to provide an important clue for the future development of stable, next-generation non-volatile memory.
Professor Seungbum Hong of KAIST, who led the research, said, "This is an example that proves we can directly observe the spatial correlation of oxygen defects, ions, and electrons through a multi-modal microscope." He added, "It is expected that this analysis technique will open a new chapter in the research and development of various metal oxide-based next-generation semiconductor devices in the future."
<By combining C-AFM and ESM techniques, the correlation between local conductivity and variations in oxygen vacancy concentration after resistive switching is analyzed. After the electroforming process, regions with increased conductivity exhibit an enhancement in the ESM amplitude signal, which can be interpreted as an increase in defect ion concentration. Conversely, after the reset process, regions with reduced conductivity show a corresponding decrease in this signal. Through these observations, it is spatially demonstrated that changes in conductivity and local defect ion concentration after resistive switching exhibit a positive correlation>
This research, in which Ph.D. candidate Chaewon Gong from the KAIST Department of Materials Science and Engineering participated as the first author, was published on July 20 in 'ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces', a prestigious academic journal in the field of new materials and chemical engineering published by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
※ Paper Title: Spatially Correlated Oxygen Vacancies, Electrons and Conducting Paths in TiO2 Thin Films
This research was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.
2025.09.02 View 2075 -
KAIST Establishes 2 Billion KRW Scholarship Fund for the School of Computing through Matching Donation by Alumnus Byung-Gyu Chang
<(From Left) President Kwang Hyung Lee, Chairman Byung-Gyu Chang Professor Sukyoung Ryu from head of the School of Computing>
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 1st of September that the School of Computing has established a “School of Computing Scholarship Fund” (worth 2 billion KRW) to provide consistent support for students in urgent need of financial assistance.
Professor Sukyoung Ryu, head of the School of Computing, who led the fundraising initiative, said, “Serving as a member of the KAIST Scholarship Committee since 2021, where the ‘Inseojeonggong Scholarship,’ also known as the ‘Emergency Relief Scholarship,’ greatly helped financially struggling students, I found it regrettable that once the principal was depleted, we were unable to continue providing support. With the establishment of this new School of Computing scholarship, we plan to begin providing aid from the Fall 2025 semester and hope that this initiative will expand to the entire KAIST community.”
Starting fundraising in May 2023, the School of Computing raised 1 billion KRW from a total of 63 donors. Alumnus Byung-Gyu Chang, Chairman of Krafton, supported the purpose of the scholarship and expanded the fund to 2 billion KRW by donating an equivalent amount through a 1:1 matching grant system.
The fundraising campaign saw participation from current students, alumni, faculty, and both current and former professors. Among them, alumni couple Jungtaek Kim (entered KAIST in ’92) and So-Yeon Ahn donated 200 million KRW to help students facing financial difficulties in their studies or job preparation. Alumni couple Ha-Yeon Seo (entered KAIST in ’95) and Dong-Hun Hahn (entered KAIST in ’96), following their earlier donation for the expansion of the School of Computing building, contributed an additional 40 million KRW to the scholarship fund.
Professor Emeritus Kyu-Young Whang and Professor Kyunghyun Cho of NYU, who had previously donated to the Kyu-Young Whang Scholarship Fund (formerly the Odysseus Scholarship Fund) and the Lim Mi-Sook Scholarship Fund respectively, also joined this initiative. Alumnus Seung Hyun Lee donated the entire $220,000 reward he received for reporting a critical security vulnerability in the Chrome browser.
Alumnus Bum-Gyu Lee, who co-runs the non-degree program “SW Academy Jungle” with the School of Computing, expressed gratitude for the role the school played in the growth of both himself and his company. Inquiring whether it “would be okay if [he] covered the remaining amount out of the 1 billion KRW target,” he became the final donor.
Professor Ryu emphasized, “Through this scholarship, I hope students who previously had to choose undesired paths due to financial reasons—despite wanting to pursue entrepreneurship or graduate studies—will have the chance to fully dedicate at least a semester or a year to the challenges they truly wish to take on.”
Chairman Byung-Gyu Chang stated, “I deeply resonate with the scholarship’s purpose of prioritizing support for students making career choices under financial strain. To accelerate its realization, I decided to make a matching donation equal to the fundraising amount. I hope this will serve as an opportunity to restructure the university-wide scholarship system.”
President Kwang Hyung Lee remarked that “KAIST’s greatest asset is its talented students who will lead the future, and no student should ever give up on studies, entrepreneurship, or dreams for financial reasons.” He added, “I hope this School of Computing scholarship will serve as a solid foundation for students to design and pursue their future challenges. I would like to thank all donors for their support and will actively review Chairman Chang’s proposal to ensure its realization.”
Meanwhile, the KAIST Development Foundation is actively promoting the “TeamKAIST” campaign for the general public and alumni to bring together more “KAIST benefactors.”
※ Related Website: https://giving.kaist.ac.kr/ko/sub01/sub0103_1.php
2025.09.01 View 1579 -
KAIST Wins Bid for ‘Physical AI Core Technology Demonstration’ Pilot Project
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 28th of August that, together with Jeonbuk State, Jeonbuk National University, and Sungkyunkwan University, it has jointly won the Ministry of Science and ICT’s pilot project for the “Physical AI Core Technology Proof of Concept (PoC)”, with KAIST serving as the overall research lead. The consortium also plans to participate in a full-scale demonstration project that is expected to reach a total scale of 1 trillion KRW in the future.
In this project, KAIST led the research planning under the theme of “Collaborative Intelligence Physical AI.” Based on this, Jeonbuk National University and Jeonbuk State will carry out joint research and establish a collaborative intelligence physical AI industrial ecosystem within the province. The pilot project will begin on September 1 this year and will run until the end of the year over the next five years. Through this effort, Jeonbuk State aims to be built into a global hub for physical AI.
KAIST will take charge of developing original research technologies, creating a research environment through the establishment of a testbed, and promoting industrial diffusion. Professor Young Jae Jang of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at KAIST, who is the overall project director, has been leading research on collaborative intelligence physical AI since 2016. His “Collaborative Intelligence-Based Smart Manufacturing Innovation Technology” was selected as one of KAIST’s “Top 10 Research Achievements” in 2019.
“Physical AI” refers to cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology that enables physical devices such as robots, autonomous vehicles, and factory automation equipment to perform tasks without human instruction by understanding spatiotemporal concepts.
In particular, collaborative intelligence physical AI is a technology in which numerous robots and automated devices in a factory environment work together to achieve goals. It is attracting attention as a key foundation for realizing “dark factories” in industries such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and automobile manufacturing.
Unlike existing manufacturing AI, this technology does not necessarily require massive amounts of historical data. Through real-time, simulation-based learning, it can quickly adapt even to manufacturing environments with frequent changes and has been deemed a next-generation technology that overcomes the limitations of data dependency.
Currently, the global AI industry is led by LLMs that simulate linguistic intelligence. However, physical AI must go beyond linguistic intelligence to include spatial intelligence and virtual environment learning, requiring the organic integration of hardware such as robots, sensors, and motors with software. As a manufacturing powerhouse, Korea is well-positioned to build such an ecosystem and seize the opportunity to lead global competition.
In fact, in April 2025, KAIST won first place at INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences), the world’s largest industrial engineering society, with its case study on collaborative intelligence physical AI, beating MIT and Amazon. This achievement is recognized as proof of Korea’s global competitiveness in the physical AI technology realm.
Professor Young Jae Jang, KAIST’s overall project director, said, “Winning this large-scale national project is the result of KAIST’s collaborative intelligence physical AI research capabilities accumulated over the past decade being recognized both domestically and internationally. This will be a turning point for establishing Korea’s manufacturing industry as a global leading ‘Physical AI Manufacturing Innovation Model.’”
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee emphasized that “KAIST is taking on the role of leading not only academic research but also the practical industrialization of national strategic technologies. Building on this achievement, we will collaborate with Jeonbuk National University and Jeonbuk State to develop Korea into a world-class hub for physical AI innovation.”
Through this project, KAIST, Jeonbuk National University, and Jeonbuk State plan to develop Korea into a global industrial hub for physical AI.
2025.08.29 View 3293 -
Professor Sung Yong Kim Publishes English Book, 'A Cup of Coffee and the Ocean'
<Professor Sung Yong Kim from Department of Mechanical Engineering>
Professor Sung Yong Kim of the Department of Mechanical Engineering announced the publication of his English book, ‘A Cup of Coffee and the Ocean: Basics of Ocean Dynamics for Everyone’, by the world-renowned academic publisher Springer Nature on August 22nd. The book was designed to easily explain the basics of the ocean, various physical phenomena, and safety common sense to high school students, university students, and the general public, using the familiar subject of coffee.
Professor Kim previously published 'Coffee and the Ocean,' Volume 34 of the 'Scholars Talk about Science and Technology' series, with support from the Korean Academy of Science and Technology in 2019. The new English edition is a rewrite based on that content, targeting an international readership.
The book explains the characteristics of fluids found in everyday coffee, expanding this to illustrate fluid phenomena in the ocean, and also includes various ocean-related safety tips. The goal is to help readers understand the principles of fluids and raise awareness of marine safety. Furthermore, it emphasizes that understanding the ocean is directly connected to national competence and includes a plea from the perspective of an oceanographer.
Professor Kim commented, "The ocean is a global shared space that is not limited by the boundaries of specific regions. This English book was published to broaden the understanding of the ocean not just domestically but among readers worldwide. Through this, I hope to see more oceanographers with a sense of mission who can see the bigger picture."
Book Cover Image
< Book Cover Image >
Related Book Links:
(Link for KAIST Insiders)
https://link-springer-com.libra.kaist.ac.kr/book/10.1007/978-981-96-6835-9
(Link for the General Public)
https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-96-6835-9
< QR Code Linking to the Site >
This book was introduced on the UN Ocean Decade official website, and its significance is further amplified by its subject matter being closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Furthermore, Professor Nadia Pinardi, who specializes in Physical Oceanography at the University of Bologna (Università di Bologna) in Italy, has communicated that the university plans to translate the book into Italian and utilize it as a textbook for marine education across Italy starting in 2027.The search results include a video featuring Professor Nadia Pinardi discussing sea level rise and coastal adaptation.
https://oceandecade.org/publications/a-cup-of-coffee-and-the-ocean-the-basics-of-ocean-dynamics/
2025.08.27 View 606 -
KAIST-KBSI, ‘Communication’ Between Proteins Found to Mitigate Alzheimer’s Toxicity… Opening the Path to Treatment
50 million people worldwide are estimated to have dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease—accounting for over 70%—being the representative neurodegenerative brain disorder. A Korean research team has, for the first time in the world, identified at the molecular level that tau and amyloid-β, the two key pathological proteins of Alzheimer’s disease, directly communicate to regulate toxicity. This achievement is expected to provide new insights into the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as important clues for discovering biomarkers for early diagnosis and developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative brain disorders.
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 24th of August that Professor Mi Hee Lim’s research team in the Department of Chemistry (Director of the Research Center for Metal–Neuroprotein Interactions), in collaboration with Dr. Young-Ho Lee’s team from the Division of Advanced Biomedical Research at the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI, President Sung-kwang Yang) under the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST, Chairperson Yeung-Shik Kim), together with Dr. Yun Kyung Kim and Dr. Sung Su Lim from the Brain Science Institute at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Sang-Rok Oh), has elucidated at the molecular level that the microtubule-binding domain of tau—one of the major pathological proteins of Alzheimer’s disease—directly interacts with amyloid-β (tau–amyloid-β communication), alters its aggregation pathway, and alleviates cellular toxicity.
Pathologically, Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the accumulation of“neurofibrillary tangles” formed by aggregates of tau, a protein responsible for transporting nutrients and signaling molecules within neurons, and “amyloid plaques (senile plaques)” formed by clusters of amyloid-β fragments—abnormally cleaved from amyloid precursor protein, which is involved in brain development, intercellular signaling, and neuronal recovery—that aggregate in and around neuronal membranes in the brain.
Although tau and amyloid-β form pathological structures in spatially separated locations, it has been suggested that they may coexist inside and outside of cells and potentially interact. However, the molecular-level understanding of how their direct interaction affects the onset and progression of the disease has not been clearly revealed until now.
The joint research team found that among the structural repeats of tau protein that bind to microtubules (the intracellular transport system) inside neurons—K18, R1–R4, PHF6*, and PHF6—specifically K18, R2, and R3 bind with amyloid-β to form ‘tau–amyloid-β heterocomplexes.’ This process is significant because amyloid-β normally assembles into highly toxic, rigid fibers (amyloid fibrils), but when certain tau regions bind, amyloid-β shifts to an aggregation pathway that produces less toxic, less rigid aggregates.
Notably, these repeat regions of tau delay the nucleation stage (the initial step of amyloid aggregation linked to disease onset) and simultaneously alter the aggregation speed and structural form of amyloid-β associated with disease progression. As a result, the toxicity caused by amyloid-β was markedly reduced in both the intracellular and extracellular environments of the brain.
In this study, the team combined precise analytical techniques—including spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, isothermal titration calorimetry, and nuclear magnetic resonance—with cell-based toxicity assays to comprehensively analyze the structural, thermodynamic, and functional properties of tau–amyloid interactions.
The findings revealed that specific regions of tau’s microtubule-binding repeats possess both hydrophilic (water-attracting) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) characteristics, and when the balance of these two properties is optimized, tau binds more effectively to amyloid-β. In other words, the intrinsic properties of tau determine its binding affinity with amyloid-β, its modulation of aggregation pathways, and its ability to regulate toxicity.
Dr. Young-Ho Lee of KBSI stated, “This research has uncovered a new molecular mechanism for the onset and progression of dementia, an intractable neurodegenerative disease. In particular, multidisciplinary convergent research focused on molecular interactions and protein aggregation is expected to play a pivotal role in clarifying not only the cross-talk between Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases but also the interconnections among various diseases such as dementia, diabetes, and cancer.”
Professor Mi Hee Lim of KAIST added, “Tau protein does not merely contribute to pathological formation, but rather, through specific microtubule-binding repeat structures, it exerts a molecular function that actively mitigates amyloid-β aggregation and toxicity. This provides a new turning point in the pathological understanding of Alzheimer’s disease. The significance of this study lies in identifying new molecular motifs that could serve as therapeutic targets not only for Alzheimer’s but also for a variety of protein aggregation-based neurodegenerative brain disorders.”
This research, with Dr. Min Geun Kim of KAIST’s Department of Chemistry as first author, was published on August 22 in the internationally renowned journal Nature Chemical Biology (Impact factor: 13.7, top 3.8% in the field of chemistry).
※ Paper Title: “Interactions with tau’s microtubule-binding repeats modulate amyloid-β aggregation and toxicity”
※ DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-01987-0
This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Basic Research Program (Leader Research and Mid-career Researcher Program), the Sejong Science Fellowship, as well as KBSI and KIST.
2025.08.25 View 3611 -
KAIST Takes the Lead in Developing Core Technologies for Generative AI National R&D Project
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) is leading the transition to AI Transformation (AX) by advancing research topics based on the practical technological demands of industries, fostering AI talent, and demonstrating research outcomes in industrial settings. In this context, KAIST announced on the 13th of August that it is at the forefront of strengthening the nation's AI technology competitiveness by developing core AI technologies via national R&D projects for generative AI led by the Ministry of Science and ICT.
In the 'Generative AI Leading Talent Cultivation Project,' KAIST was selected as a joint research institution for all three projects—two led by industry partners and one by a research institution—and will thus be tasked with the dual challenge of developing core generative AI technologies and cultivating practical, core talent through industry-academia collaborations.
Moreover, in the 'Development of a Proprietary AI Foundation Model' project, KAIST faculty members are participating as key researchers in four out of five consortia, establishing the university as a central hub for domestic generative AI research.
Each project in the Generative AI Leading Talent Cultivation Project will receive 6.7 billion won, while each consortium in the proprietary AI foundation model development project will receive a total of 200 billion won in government support, including GPU infrastructure.
As part of the 'Generative AI Leading Talent Cultivation Project,' which runs until the end of 2028, KAIST is collaborating with LG AI Research. Professor Noseong Park from the School of Computing will participate as the principal investigator for KAIST, conducting research in the field of physics-based generative AI (Physical AI). This project focuses on developing image and video generation technologies based on physical laws and developing a 'World Model.'
In particular, research being conducted by Professor Noseong Park's team and Professor Sung-Eui Yoon's team proposes a model structure designed to help AI learn the real-world rules of the physical world more precisely. This is considered a core technology for Physical AI.
Professors Noseong Park, Jae-gil Lee, Jiyoung Hwang, Sung-Eui Yoon, and Hyun-Woo Kim from the School of Computing, who have been globally recognized for their achievements in the AI field, are jointly participating in this project. This year, they have presented work at top AI conferences such as ICLR, ICRA, ICCV, and ICML, including: ▲ Research on physics-based Ollivier Ricci-flow (ICLR 2025, Prof. Noseong Park) ▲ Technology to improve the navigation efficiency of quadruped robots (ICRA 2025, Prof. Sung-Eui Yoon) ▲ A multimodal large language model for text-video retrieval (ICCV 2025, Prof. Hyun-Woo Kim) ▲ Structured representation learning for knowledge generation (ICML 2025, Prof. Jiyoung Whang).
In the collaboration with NC AI, Professor Tae-Kyun Kim from the School of Computing is participating as the principal investigator to develop multimodal AI agent technology. The research will explore technologies applicable to the entire gaming industry, such as 3D modeling, animation, avatar expression generation, and character AI. It is expected to contribute to training practical AI talents by giving them hands-on experience in the industrial field and making the game production pipeline more efficient.
As the principal investigator, Professor Tae-Kyun Kim, a renowned scholar in 3D computer vision and generative AI, is developing key technologies for creating immersive avatars in the virtual and gaming industries. He will apply a first-person full-body motion diffusion model, which he developed through a joint research project with Meta, to VR and AR environments.
Professor Tae-Kyun Kim, Minhyeok Seong, and Tae-Hyun Oh from the School of Computing, and Professors Sung-Hee Lee, Woon-Tack Woo, Jun-Yong Noh, and Kyung-Tae Lim from the Graduate School of Culture Technology, are participating in the NC AI project. They have presented globally recognized work at CVPR 2025 and ICLR 2025, including: ▲ A first-person full-body motion diffusion model (CVPR 2025, Prof. Tae-Kyun Kim) ▲ Stochastic diffusion synchronization technology for image generation (ICLR 2025, Prof. Minhyeok Seong) ▲ The creation of a large-scale 3D facial mesh video dataset (ICLR 2025, Prof. Tae-Hyun Oh) ▲ Object-adaptive agent motion generation technology, InterFaceRays (Eurographics 2025, Prof. Sung-Hee Lee) ▲ 3D neural face editing technology (CVPR 2025, Prof. Jun-Yong Noh) ▲ Research on selective search augmentation for multilingual vision-language models (COLING 2025, Prof. Kyung-Tae Lim).
In the project led by the Korea Electronics Technology Institute (KETI), Professor Seungryong Kim from the Kim Jae-chul Graduate School of AI is participating in generative AI technology development. His team recently developed new technology for extracting robust point-tracking information from video data in collaboration with Adobe Research and Google DeepMind, proposing a key technology for clearly understanding and generating videos.
Each industry partner will open joint courses with KAIST and provide their generative AI foundation models for education and research. Selected outstanding students will be dispatched to these companies to conduct practical research, and KAIST faculty will also serve as adjunct professors at the in-house AI graduate school established by LG AI Research.
Meanwhile, KAIST showed an unrivaled presence by participating in four consortia for the Ministry of Science and ICT's 'Proprietary AI Foundation Model Development' project.
In the NC AI Consortium, Professors Tae-Kyun Kim, Sung-Eui Yoon, Noseong Park, Jiyoung Hwang, and Minhyeok Seong from the School of Computing are participating, focusing on the development of multimodal foundation models (LMMs) and robot-based models. They are particularly concentrating on developing LMMs that learn common sense about space, physics, and time. They have formed a research team optimized for developing next-generation, multimodal AI models that can understand and interact with the physical world, equipped with an 'all-purpose AI brain' capable of simultaneously understanding and processing diverse information such as text, images, video, and sound.
In the Upstage Consortium, Professors Jae-gil Lee and Hyeon-eon Oh from the School of Computing, both renowned scholars in data AI and NLP (natural language processing), along with Professor Kyung-Tae Lim from the Graduate School of Culture Technology, an LLM expert, are responsible for developing vertical models for industries such as finance, law, and manufacturing. The KAIST researchers will concentrate on developing practical AI models that are directly applicable to industrial settings and tailored to each specific industry.
The Naver Consortium includes Professor Tae-Hyun Oh from the School of Computing, who has developed key technology for multimodal learning and compositional language-vision models, Professor Hyun-Woo Kim, who has proposed video reasoning and generation methods using language models, and faculty from the Kim Jae-chul Graduate School of AI and the Department of Electrical Engineering.
In the SKT Consortium, Professor Ki-min Lee from the Kim Jae-chul Graduate School of AI, who has achieved outstanding results in text-to-image generation, human preference modeling, and visual robotic manipulation technology development, is participating. This technology is expected to play a key role in developing personalized services and customized AI solutions for telecommunications companies.
This outcome is considered a successful culmination of KAIST's strategy for developing AI technology based on industry demand and centered on on-site demonstrations.
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee said, "For AI technology to go beyond academic achievements and be connected to and practical for industry, continuous government support, research, and education centered on industry-academia collaboration are essential. KAIST will continue to strive to solve problems in industrial settings and make a real contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of the AI ecosystem."
He added that while the project led by Professor Sung-Ju Hwang from the Kim Jae-chul Graduate School of AI, which had applied as a lead institution for the proprietary foundation model development project, was unfortunately not selected, it was a meaningful challenge that stood out for its original approach and bold attempts. President Lee further commented, "Regardless of whether it was selected or not, such attempts will accumulate and make the Korean AI ecosystem even richer."
2025.08.13 View 3640