KAIST

On April 22, 2016, President Sung-Mo Kang of KAIST became the 18^th recipient of the Jang Young-sil Award. The Jang Young-sil Memorial Association of Korea awarded the prize to him at the Korea Press Center in Seoul.

The award, created in 1999 by the Jang Young-sil Memorial Association of Korea to recognize those scientists who have made significant contributions to the development of Korean science and technology, is bestowed annually. 

Jang Young-sil was a highly regarded Korean scientist and astronomer during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897), whose major inventions were a sundial, a water clock, and a rain gauge.

In the award ceremony, the association said that President Kang had devoted much of his life to the advancement of science education and research, globally and nationally, as an educator, scholar, administrator, and researcher and that his accomplishments have served as an example of leadership for young scientists.

In his acceptance speech, President Kang expressed his gratitude for the award and said,

“I am honored to receive an award in the name of our great ancestor scientist Jang Young-sil who, despite his low birth as a peasant, rose to become an excellent scientist and built a remarkable legacy of science for Korea. While cherishing his spirit, creativity and grit, I will continue to working hard to foster outstanding scientists and engineers who are needed not only by Korea but also by the global community.”

In the photo, Dr. Gun-Mo Chung (pictured on the right), the former Minister of Science and Technology of Korea presents the Jang Young-sil Award to President Sung-Mo Kang (left).