KAIST

- Research team of Professor Yoonjae Choi of Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI and Professor Hwajung Hong of the Department of Industrial Design, development of AI assistant (VTA) that helps with operation and learning in lectures for 477 students - Responds to students’ questions about theory and practice 24 hours a day by referring to class slides, coding practice materials, and lecture videos - Releases the system’s source code to support the development of customized learning assistance systems and application in educational settings in the future < Photo 1. (From left) PhD candidate Sunjun Kweon, Master's candidate Sooyohn Nam, PhD candidate Hyunseung Lim, Professor Hwajung Hong, Professor Yoonjae Choi > “At first, I didn’t have high expectations for AI assistant (VTA), but it was very useful because I could get immediate answers when I suddenly asked questions about concepts that I was curious about late at night,” he said. “In particular, I was able to ask questions about parts that I hesitated to ask a human assistant without feeling burdened, and as I asked more questions, my understanding of the class increased.” (KAIST Ph.D. student Ji-won Yang) KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) announced that a joint research team of Professor Yoonjae Choi of Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI and Professor Hwajung Hong of Industrial Design Department On the June 5th, it was announced that it had developed a ‘Virtual Teaching Assistant (VTA)’ that can provide personalized feedback to each student even in large lectures and successfully applied it to actual lectures. This study is the first domestic case in which VTA was introduced to the ‘Programming for Artificial Intelligence’ course of the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI, which 477 master’s and doctoral students took in the fall semester of 2024, and its effectiveness and practicality were verified on a large scale in an actual educational setting. The AI teaching assistant developed in this study is an agent specialized for classes, different from general chatGPT or existing chatbots. The research team automatically vectorized a large amount of class materials such as lecture slides, coding practice materials, and lecture videos, and implemented a Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) structure in which questions and answers are answered based on this. < Photo 2. Students demonstrating how the Virtual Teaching Assistant works > When a student asks a question, the system searches for the most relevant class materials in real time based on the context of the question and generates a response. This process is not simply calling a large language model (LLM), but is designed as a data-based question-and-answer that corresponds to the class content, so it can be said to be an intelligent system that secures both learning reliability and accuracy. The first author of this study and the responsible teaching assistant for the class, PhD candidate Sunjun Kweon, said, “In the past, there were many repetitive and basic questions such as content already explained in class or simple concept definitions, so it was difficult for teaching assistants to focus on key questions.” He continued, “After the introduction of VTA, students reduced repetitive questions and focused on essential questions, so the burden on teaching assistants was noticeably reduced and they were able to focus on more high-level learning support.” In fact, the number of questions that teaching assistants had to answer directly decreased by about 40% compared to last year’s class. < Photo 3. A student working with VTA. > More than half of all students actually used VTA during the 14-week operation, and a total of 3,869 questions and answers were recorded. In particular, the frequency of VTA use was higher for students who were not majoring in AI or lacked prior knowledge, which suggests that VTA provided practical help as a learning aid. In addition, the analysis results showed that students tended to ask questions about theoretical concepts to VTA more often than to human assistants. This can be interpreted as the AI assistant providing an environment where students can freely ask questions without being evaluated or feeling uncomfortable, thereby actively encouraging learning participation. As a result of the survey conducted three times before, during, and after class, students reported higher reliability, response appropriateness, and comfort with VTA than at the beginning. In particular, students who had experience of hesitating to ask questions to human assistants showed higher satisfaction with their interactions with AI assistants. < Figure 1. Internal structure of the AI Teaching Assistant (VTA) applied in this course. It follows a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) structure that builds a vector database from course materials (PDFs, recorded lectures, coding practice materials, etc.), searches for relevant documents based on student questions and conversation history, and then generates responses based on them. > Professor Yoonjae Choi, who led the research and is the professor in charge of the class, said, “The significance of the study lies in the fact that it has confirmed that AI technology can provide practical help to both students and instructors. We hope that this technology will be expanded to more diverse classes in the future.” The research team is supporting other educational institutions and researchers to develop customized learning assistance systems based on this by releasing the system's source code on the developer platform GitHub and apply it to educational settings. < Figure 2. Initial screen of the AI Teaching Assistant (VTA) introduced in the "Programming for AI" course. It asks for student ID input along with simple guidelines, a mechanism to ensure that only registered students can use it, blocking indiscriminate external access and ensuring limited use based on students. > The related paper was accepted by the 'ACL 2025 Industry Track', one of the most prestigious international academic conferences in the field of natural language processing (NLP), on May 9, 2025, and its research excellence was recognized. ※ Paper title: A Large-Scale Real-World Evaluation of an LLM-Based Virtual Teaching Assistant < Figure 3. Example conversation with the AI Teaching Assistant (VTA). When a student inputs a class-related question, the system internally searches for relevant class materials and then generates an answer based on them. In this way, VTA provides learning support by reflecting class content in context. > Meanwhile, this study was conducted with the support of the KAIST Center for Teaching and Learning Innovation, the National Research Foundation of Korea, and the National IT Industry Promotion Agency.

A team of researchers from KAIST and Seoul National University has developed a groundbreaking electronic ink that enables room-temperature printing of variable-stiffness circuits capable of switching between rigid and soft modes. This advancement marks a significant leap toward next-generation wearable, implantable, and robotic devices. < Photo 1. (From left) Professor Jae-Woong Jeong and PhD candidate Simok Lee of the School of Electrical Engineering, (in separate bubbles, from left) Professor Gun-Hee Lee of Pusan ​​National University, Professor Seongjun Park of Seoul National University, Professor Steve Park of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering> Variable-stiffness electronics are at the forefront of adaptive technology, offering the ability for a single device to transition between rigid and soft modes depending on its use case. Gallium, a metal known for its high rigidity contrast between solid and liquid states, is a promising candidate for such applications. However, its use has been hindered by challenges including high surface tension, low viscosity, and undesirable phase transitions during manufacturing. On June 4th, a research team led by Professor Jae-Woong Jeong from the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, Professor Seongjun Park from the Digital Healthcare Major at Seoul National University, and Professor Steve Park from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST introduced a novel liquid metal electronic ink. This ink allows for micro-scale circuit printing – thinner than a human hair – at room temperature, with the ability to reversibly switch between rigid and soft modes depending on temperature. The new ink combines printable viscosity with excellent electrical conductivity, enabling the creation of complex, high-resolution multilayer circuits comparable to commercial printed circuit boards (PCBs). These circuits can dynamically change stiffness in response to temperature, presenting new opportunities for multifunctional electronics, medical technologies, and robotics. Conventional electronics typically have fixed form factors – either rigid for durability or soft for wearability. Rigid devices like smartphones and laptops offer robust performance but are uncomfortable when worn, while soft electronics are more comfortable but lack precise handling. As demand grows for devices that can adapt their stiffness to context, variable-stiffness electronics are becoming increasingly important. < Figure 1. Fabrication process of stable, high-viscosity electronic ink by dispersing micro-sized gallium particles in a polymer matrix (left). High-resolution large-area circuit printing process through pH-controlled chemical sintering (right). > To address this challenge, the researchers focused on gallium, which melts just below body temperature. Solid gallium is quite stiff, while its liquid form is fluid and soft. Despite its potential, gallium’s use in electronic printing has been limited by its high surface tension and instability when melted. To overcome these issues, the team developed a pH-controlled liquid metal ink printing process. By dispersing micro-sized gallium particles into a hydrophilic polyurethane matrix using a neutral solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO), they created a stable, high-viscosity ink suitable for precision printing. During post-print heating, the DMSO decomposes to form an acidic environment, which removes the oxide layer on the gallium particles. This triggers the particles to coalesce into electrically conductive networks with tunable mechanical properties. The resulting printed circuits exhibit fine feature sizes (~50 μm), high conductivity (2.27 × 10⁶ S/m), and a stiffness modulation ratio of up to 1,465 – allowing the material to shift from plastic-like rigidity to rubber-like softness. Furthermore, the ink is compatible with conventional printing techniques such as screen printing and dip coating, supporting large-area and 3D device fabrication. < Figure 2. Key features of the electronic ink. (i) High-resolution printing and multilayer integration capability. (ii) Batch fabrication capability through large-area screen printing. (iii) Complex three-dimensional structure printing capability through dip coating. (iv) Excellent electrical conductivity and stiffness control capability.> The team demonstrated this technology by developing a multi-functional device that operates as a rigid portable electronic under normal conditions but transforms into a soft wearable healthcare device when attached to the body. They also created a neural probe that remains stiff during surgical insertion for accurate positioning but softens once inside brain tissue to reduce inflammation – highlighting its potential for biomedical implants. < Figure 3. Variable stiffness wearable electronics with high-resolution circuits and multilayer structure comparable to commercial printed circuit boards (PCBs). Functions as a rigid portable electronic device at room temperature, then transforms into a wearable healthcare device by softening at body temperature upon skin contact.> “The core achievement of this research lies in overcoming the longstanding challenges of liquid metal printing through our innovative technology,” said Professor Jeong. “By controlling the ink’s acidity, we were able to electrically and mechanically connect printed gallium particles, enabling the room-temperature fabrication of high-resolution, large-area circuits with tunable stiffness. This opens up new possibilities for future personal electronics, medical devices, and robotics.” < Figure 4. Body-temperature softening neural probe implemented by coating electronic ink on an optical waveguide structure. (Left) Remains rigid during surgery for precise manipulation and brain insertion, then softens after implantation to minimize mechanical stress on the brain and greatly enhance biocompatibility. (Right) > This research was published in Science Advances under the title, “Phase-Change Metal Ink with pH-Controlled Chemical Sintering for Versatile and Scalable Fabrication of Variable Stiffness Electronics.” The work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Boston-Korea Project, and the BK21 FOUR Program.

< Photo 1. Research Team Photo (Professor Jemin Hwangbo, second from right in the front row) > KAIST's quadrupedal robot, RAIBO, can now move at high speed across discontinuous and complex terrains such as stairs, gaps, walls, and debris. It has demonstrated its ability to run on vertical walls, leap over 1.3-meter-wide gaps, sprint at approximately 14.4 km/h over stepping stones, and move quickly and nimbly on terrain combining 30° slopes, stairs, and stepping stones. RaiBo is expected to be deployed soon for practical missions such as disaster site exploration and mountain searches. Professor Jemin Hwangbo's research team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at our university announced on June 3rd that they have developed a quadrupedal robot navigation framework capable of high-speed locomotion at 14.4 km/h (4m/s) even on discontinuous and complex terrains such as walls, stairs, and stepping stones. The research team developed a quadrupedal navigation system that enables the robot to reach its target destination quickly and safely in complex and discontinuous terrain. To achieve this, they approached the problem by breaking it down into two stages: first, developing a planner for planning foothold positions, and second, developing a tracker to accurately follow the planned foothold positions. First, the planner module quickly searches for physically feasible foothold positions using a sampling-based optimization method with neural network-based heuristics and verifies the optimal path through simulation rollouts. While existing methods considered various factors such as contact timing and robot posture in addition to foothold positions, this research significantly reduced computational complexity by setting only foothold positions as the search space. Furthermore, inspired by the walking method of cats, the introduction of a structure where the hind feet step on the same spots as the front feet further significantly reduced computational complexity. < Figure 1. High-speed navigation across various discontinuous terrains > Second, the tracker module is trained to accurately step on planned positions, and tracking training is conducted through a generative model that competes in environments of appropriate difficulty. The tracker is trained through reinforcement learning to accurately step on planned plots, and during this process, a generative model called the 'map generator' provides the target distribution. This generative model is trained simultaneously and adversarially with the tracker to allow the tracker to progressively adapt to more challenging difficulties. Subsequently, a sampling-based planner was designed to generate feasible foothold plans that can reflect the characteristics and performance of the trained tracker. This hierarchical structure showed superior performance in both planning speed and stability compared to existing techniques, and experiments proved its high-speed locomotion capabilities across various obstacles and discontinuous terrains, as well as its general applicability to unseen terrains. Professor Jemin Hwangbo stated, "We approached the problem of high-speed navigation in discontinuous terrain, which previously required a significantly large amount of computation, from the simple perspective of how to select the footprint positions. Inspired by the placements of cat's paw, allowing the hind feet to step where the front feet stepped drastically reduced computation. We expect this to significantly expand the range of discontinuous terrain that walking robots can overcome and enable them to traverse it at high speeds, contributing to the robot's ability to perform practical missions such as disaster site exploration and mountain searches." This research achievement was published in the May 2025 issue of the international journal Science Robotics. Paper Title: High-speed control and navigation for quadrupedal robots on complex and discrete terrain, (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.ads6192)YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/EZbM594T3c4?si=kfxLF2XnVUvYVIyk

< Photo 1. (From left) Daebeom Kim (Team Leader, Ph.D. student), Seungjae Lee (Ph.D. student), Seoyeon Jang (Ph.D. student), Jei Gong (Master's student), Professor Hyun Myung > The Urban Robotics Lab team, led by Professor Hyun Myung from the School of Electrical Engineering at our university, achieved a remarkable first-place overall victory in the Nothing Stands Still Challenge (NSS Challenge) 2025, held at the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), the world's most prestigious robotics conference, from May 19 to 23 in Atlanta, USA. The NSS Challenge was co-hosted by HILTI, a global construction company based in Liechtenstein, and Stanford University's Gradient Spaces Group. It is an expanded version of the HILTI SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)* Challenge, which has been held since 2021, and is considered one of the most prominent challenges at 2025 IEEE ICRA.*SLAM: Refers to Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, a technology where robots, drones, autonomous vehicles, etc., determine their own position and simultaneously create a map of their surroundings. < Photo 2. Oral Presentation on the Winning Team's Technology (Speakers: Seungjae Lee, Ph.D. student, and Seoyeon Jang, Ph.D. student) > This challenge primarily evaluates how accurately and robustly LiDAR scan data, collected at various times, can be registered in situations with frequent structural changes, such as construction and industrial environments. In particular, it is regarded as a highly technical competition because it deals with multi-session localization and mapping (Multi-session SLAM) technology that responds to structural changes occurring over multiple timeframes, rather than just single-point registration accuracy. The Urban Robotics Lab team secured first place overall, surpassing National Taiwan University (3rd place) and Northwestern Polytechnical University of China (2nd place) by a significant margin, with their unique localization and mapping technology that solves the problem of registering LiDAR data collected across multiple times and spaces. The winning team will be awarded a prize of $4,000. < Figure 1. Example of Multiway-Registration for Registering Multiple Scans > The Urban Robotics Lab team independently developed a multiway-registration framework that can robustly register multiple scans even without prior connection information. This framework consists of an algorithm for summarizing feature points within scans and finding correspondences (CubicFeat), an algorithm for performing global registration based on the found correspondences (Quatro), and an algorithm for refining results based on change detection (Chamelion). This combination of technologies ensures stable registration performance based on fixed structures, even in highly dynamic industrial environments. < Figure 2. Example of Change Detection Using the Chamelion Algorithm> LiDAR scan registration technology is a core component of SLAM (Simultaneous Localization And Mapping) in various autonomous systems such as autonomous vehicles, autonomous robots, autonomous walking systems, and autonomous flying vehicles. Professor Hyun Myung of the School of Electrical Engineering stated, "This award-winning technology is evaluated as a case that simultaneously proves both academic value and industrial applicability by maximizing the performance of precisely estimating the relative positions between different scans even in complex environments. I am grateful to the students who challenged themselves and never gave up, even when many teams abandoned due to the high difficulty." < Figure 3. Competition Result Board, Lower RMSE (Root Mean Squared Error) Indicates Higher Score (Unit: meters)> Meanwhile, the Urban Robotics Lab team first participated in the SLAM Challenge in 2022, winning second place among academic teams, and in 2023, they secured first place overall in the LiDAR category and first place among academic teams in the vision category.

Moving beyond traditional methods of observing thinly sliced and stained cancer tissues, a collaborative international research team led by KAIST has successfully developed a groundbreaking technology. This innovation uses advanced optical techniques combined with an artificial intelligence-based deep learning algorithm to create realistic, virtually stained 3D images of cancer tissue without the need for serial sectioning nor staining. This breakthrough is anticipated to pave the way for next-generation non-invasive pathological diagnosis. < Photo 1. (From left) Juyeon Park (Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Physics), Professor YongKeun Park (Department of Physics) (Top left) Professor Su-Jin Shin (Gangnam Severance Hospital), Professor Tae Hyun Hwang (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine) > KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 26th that a research team led by Professor YongKeun Park of the Department of Physics, in collaboration with Professor Su-Jin Shin's team at Yonsei University Gangnam Severance Hospital, Professor Tae Hyun Hwang's team at Mayo Clinic, and Tomocube's AI research team, has developed an innovative technology capable of vividly displaying the 3D structure of cancer tissues without separate staining. For over 200 years, conventional pathology has relied on observing cancer tissues under a microscope, a method that only shows specific cross-sections of the 3D cancer tissue. This has limited the ability to understand the three-dimensional connections and spatial arrangements between cells. To overcome this, the research team utilized holotomography (HT), an advanced optical technology, to measure the 3D refractive index information of tissues. They then integrated an AI-based deep learning algorithm to successfully generate virtual H&E* images.* H&E (Hematoxylin & Eosin): The most widely used staining method for observing pathological tissues. Hematoxylin stains cell nuclei blue, and eosin stains cytoplasm pink. The research team quantitatively demonstrated that the images generated by this technology are highly similar to actual stained tissue images. Furthermore, the technology exhibited consistent performance across various organs and tissues, proving its versatility and reliability as a next-generation pathological analysis tool. < Figure 1. Comparison of conventional 3D tissue pathology procedure and the 3D virtual H&E staining technology proposed in this study. The traditional method requires preparing and staining dozens of tissue slides, while the proposed technology can reduce the number of slides by up to 10 times and quickly generate H&E images without the staining process. > Moreover, by validating the feasibility of this technology through joint research with hospitals and research institutions in Korea and the United States, utilizing Tomocube's holotomography equipment, the team demonstrated its potential for full-scale adoption in real-world pathological research settings. Professor YongKeun Park stated, "This research marks a major advancement by transitioning pathological analysis from conventional 2D methods to comprehensive 3D imaging. It will greatly enhance biomedical research and clinical diagnostics, particularly in understanding cancer tumor boundaries and the intricate spatial arrangements of cells within tumor microenvironments." < Figure 2. Results of AI-based 3D virtual H&E staining and quantitative analysis of pathological tissue. The virtually stained images enabled 3D reconstruction of key pathological features such as cell nuclei and glandular lumens. Based on this, various quantitative indicators, including cell nuclear distribution, volume, and surface area, could be extracted. > This research, with Juyeon Park, a student of the Integrated Master’s and Ph.D. Program at KAIST, as the first author, was published online in the prestigious journal Nature Communications on May 22. (Paper title: Revealing 3D microanatomical structures of unlabeled thick cancer tissues using holotomography and virtual H&E staining. [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59820-0] This study was supported by the Leader Researcher Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Global Industry Technology Cooperation Center Project of the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology, and the Korea Health Industry Development Institute.

KAIST announced on May 26th that it hosted the "2025 KAIST Integrity Week." The goal was to enhance the integrity and anti-corruption awareness of its members and foster a culture of responsibility and trust within the organization. This initiative included participatory programs such as consultations, education, and campaigns on research and academic integrity. Under the theme "KAIST Practicing Responsibility and Trust," this Integrity Week featured diverse programs designed for both faculty, staff, and students. < The Integrity Week Poster > On the first day of Integrity Week, President Kwang Hyung Lee sent a letter to all members, proclaiming KAIST's commitment to integrity and emphasizing its importance. Key programs include: • "Integrity Consultations on Call" to enhance the culture of ethical conduct. • A program in a quiz show format, the “Integrity Golden Bell,"  • Integrity and Anti-Corruption Education Day. • Integrity Campaigns aimed at improving internal culture of observing the code of conduct. These events are designed to encourage participation from both faculty, staff, and students. In particular, the " Integrity Consultations on Call" were held for graduate student council executives, departmental graduate student representatives, and research support personnel. This was a forum to discuss integrity issues and improvement measures that may arise during research and administrative tasks. It will also serve to share effective integrity policies, such as conflict of interest prevention systems and anonymous reporting legal counsel services. The "Integrity Golden Bell" event was aimed to enhance faculty and staff's understanding of anti-corruption laws, including the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act, and to encourage their voluntary commitment to these principles. < The Integrity Week Poster > The goals KAIST was targeting to achieve through this Integrity Week, was to integrate the value of ethical practices in daily routines and cultivate a healthy culture within the working environment in which its working colleagues can trust each other. Furthermore, KAIST aims to make integrity a core value that can bolster sustainable development, encouraging all members to actively participate in practicing honest and responsible research and academic work. President Kwang Hyung Lee stated, "Ethical conduct and honesty is at the essence of science and technology that people of the community must uphold conscientiously, and it should be the foundation for KAIST to regain and maintain global trust. We hope that through this Integrity Week, the value of integrity will take deeper root within our research culture and daily lives."

On May 23rd, KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) announced that its Digital Bio-Health AI Research Center (Director: Professor JongChul Ye of KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI) has been selected for the Ministry of Science and ICT's 'AI Top-Tier Young Researcher Support Program (AI Star Fellowship Project).' With a total investment of ₩11.5 billion from May 2025 to December 2030, the center will embark on the full-scale development of AI technology and a platform capable of independently inferring and determining the kinds of diseases, and discovering new drugs. < Photo. On May 20th, a kick-off meeting for the AI Star Fellowship Project was held at KAIST Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI’s Yangjae Research Center with the KAIST research team and participating organizations of Samsung Medical Center, NAVER Cloud, and HITS. [From left to right in the front row] Professor Jaegul Joo (KAIST), Professor Yoonjae Choi (KAIST), Professor Woo Youn Kim (KAIST/HITS), Professor JongChul Ye (KAIST), Professor Sungsoo Ahn (KAIST), Dr. Haanju Yoo (NAVER Cloud), Yoonho Lee (KAIST), HyeYoon Moon (Samsung Medical Center), Dr. Su Min Kim (Samsung Medical Center) > This project aims to foster an innovative AI research ecosystem centered on young researchers and develop an inferential AI agent that can utilize and automatically expand specialized knowledge systems in the bio and medical fields. Professor JongChul Ye of the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI will serve as the lead researcher, with young researchers from KAIST including Professors Yoonjae Choi, Kimin Lee, Sungsoo Ahn, and Chanyoung Park, along with mid-career researchers like Professors Jaegul Joo and Woo Youn Kim, jointly undertaking the project. They will collaborate with various laboratories within KAIST to conduct comprehensive research covering the entire cycle from the theoretical foundations of AI inference to its practical application. Specifically, the main goals include:  - Building high-performance inference models that integrate diverse medical knowledge systems to enhance the precision and reliability of diagnosis and treatment.  - Developing a convergence inference platform that efficiently combines symbol-based inference with neural network models.  - Securing AI technology for new drug development and biomarker discovery based on 'cell ontology.' Furthermore, through close collaboration with industry and medical institutions such as Samsung Medical Center, NAVER Cloud, and HITS Co., Ltd., the project aims to achieve:  - Clinical diagnostic AI utilizing medical knowledge systems.  - AI-based molecular target exploration for new drug development.  - Commercialization of an extendible AI inference platform. Professor JongChul Ye, Director of KAIST's Digital Bio-Health AI Research Center, stated, "At a time when competition in AI inference model development is intensifying, it is a great honor for KAIST to lead the development of AI technology specialized in the bio and medical fields with world-class young researchers." He added, "We will do our best to ensure that the participating young researchers reach a world-leading level in terms of research achievements after the completion of this seven-year project starting in 2025." The AI Star Fellowship is a newly established program where post-doctoral researchers and faculty members within seven years of appointment participate as project leaders (PLs) to independently lead research. Multiple laboratories within a university and demand-side companies form a consortium to operate the program. Through this initiative, KAIST plans to nurture bio-medical convergence AI talent and simultaneously promote the commercialization of core technologies in collaboration with Samsung Medical Center, NAVER Cloud, and HITS.

Hyung Kyu Lim, a former President of the KAIST Alumni Association, has donated 100 million won as the prize money for the School Song and National Anthem Challenge. This donation will be used as prize money starting from the 2026 competition and is expected to play a significant role in spreading KAIST's educational culture and fostering a sense of community. < Photo 1. KAIST President Kwang-Hyung Lee (left) and the former Alumni Association President Hyung Kyu Lim at the ceremony for the signing of the pledge for Dr. Lim's donation. > The School Song and National Anthem Challenge was first conceived in 2024 at the suggestion of President Kwang-Hyung Lee to enhance consensus on KAIST's values and educational philosophy and to inspire patriotism and school spirit. Participants express their sense of belonging and pride in KAIST by singing the KAIST school song, the national anthem, or the 'I'm a KAIST,' dedicated by Professor Sumi Jo, a visiting scholar at the Graduate School of Culture Technology. Notably, this year, a new category has been added where participants sing their self-composed 'My Own School Song,' making the stage more diverse. The grand prize-winning team receives the President's Award and a prize of 1 million won. The top excellence award and participating teams also receive prizes and awards totaling 2 million won. < Photo 2. At the ceremony for the signing of the donation pledge, KAIST President Kwang-Hyung Lee (left) is relaying a bouquet of flower and the plaque of appreciation to the former Alumni Association President Hyung Kyu Lim. > Former Alumni Association President Hyung Kyu Lim stated, Love for the national community is the foundation of a sound global citizen consciousness. For me, love for this national community, along with family love, has been a great source of energy for growth. He added, I hope this challenge of singing the national anthem and school song becomes a good nourishment for KAIST members to grow into global citizens with roots, expressing his thoughts on the donation. President Kwang-Hyung Lee said, “I am grateful to former Alumni Association President Hyung Kyu Lim for his generous support of this meaningful program, which fosters pride in the school and raises interest in loving the country through the national anthem.” He added, “This donation will serve as an opportunity for KAIST members to cultivate a sense of belonging to the school and a sense of responsibility to the national community.” Since 2018, former President Lim has annually donated prize money for the 'Linkgenesis Best Teacher Award,' encouraging faculty members who embody the values of creativity, challenge, and consideration. Furthermore, he has consistently contributed to KAIST's talent development and advancement by continuing to provide funds totaling 1 billion won, including scholarship funds for the Department of Electrical Engineering and the Alumni Academic Scholarship Foundation. < Photo 3. Grand prize-winning team of the School Song and National Anthem Challenge > Meanwhile, the '2nd School Song and National Anthem Challenge' was successfully held on May 21st at the main auditorium of KAIST, with over 150 spectators participating. Eight teams performed in the finals, and the final winning team was selected based on audience evaluation (10%) and judges' scores (90%). < Photo 4. Grand prize-winning team of the School Song and National Anthem Challenge, Aeguk-Rock in performance > The grand prize was awarded to the 'Aeguk-Rock' team, who arranged the national anthem into a rock version and performed it as a band. The top excellence award went to the 'Form of the Conductor' team, who sang the school song a cappella. The excellence award was given to Eun-Jin Choi, a student from the Graduate School of Culture Technology, who performed her self-composed school song written with an AI tool, 'Radiant You – You Are KAIST.' The 'Aeguk-Rock’ team also won the audience popularity award, and five other teams received participation awards. < Photo 5. Group photo of the winners of the School Song and National Anthem Challenge >

< (From the fifth from the left) Provost and Executive Vice President Gyun Min Lee, Auditor Eun Woo Lee, President Kwang-Hyung Lee, Dean of the School of Computing Seok-Young Ryu, former Krafton member and donor Woong-Hee Cho, Krafton Chairman Byung-Gyu Chang > KAIST announced on May 20th the completion of the expansion building for its School of Computing, the "KRAFTON Building." The project began in June 2021 with an ₩11 billion donation from KRAFTON and its employees, eventually growing to ₩11.7 billion with contributions from 204 donors. Designed as a "Pay It Forward" space, the building aims to enable alumni to pass on the gratitude they received from the school to their juniors and foster connection. Byung-Gyu Chang, Chairman of KRAFTON and a KAIST alumnus, expressed his joy, stating, "I am very pleased that the first building created by alumni donations within KAIST is now complete, and I hope it will continue to be a space for communication, challenges, and growth that connects to the next generation." The completion ceremony, held today at 3 PM in front of the KRAFTON SoC (School of Computing) Building at KAIST's main campus, was attended by over 100 people, including Chairman Byung-Gyu Chang, KAIST President Kwang-Hyung Lee, and Dean Seok-Young Ryu of the KAIST School of Computing. The building's inception dates back to June 2021, with an ₩11 billion donation from the gaming company KRAFTON and its current and former members, dedicated to nurturing future software talent at KAIST. Four alumni, including KRAFTON Chairman Byung-Gyu Chang, who graduated from the KAIST School of Computing, were the first to pledge donations. This initial act inspired more participants, leading to ₩5.5 billion in individual donations from a total of 11 people. KRAFTON Inc. then matched this amount, bringing the total donation to ₩11 billion. Since 2021, KRAFTON Inc. has operated a "Matching Grant" program, a donation culture initiative driven by its members. This system allows the company to match funds voluntarily raised by its employees, aiming to encourage active social participation and the creation of social value among its members. Following this, another 11 KAIST alumni from Devsisters Inc., famous for the Cookie Run series, joined the donation effort. This wave of generosity expanded to include a total of 204 participants, comprising graduates, alumni professors, and current students, acting as a catalyst for the spread of a donation culture within the campus. To date, approximately ₩11.7 billion has been raised for the expansion of the School of Computing building. Furthermore, small donations, including those from alumni and the general public, have continuously grown, reaching over 50,000 instances from 2021 to May 2025. The funds raised through donations were used to construct a 2,000-pyeong (approximately 6,600 square meters) building for individuals who, like Chairman Byung-Gyu Chang, will unleash their potential and become global leaders. The building was named "KRAFTON SoC (KRAFTON SoC)," and KRAFTON Inc. has further pledged additional donations for the building's maintenance over the next 10 years. The newly completed KRAFTON Building is a six-story structure. From the second floor up, it features research labs for 20 professors and graduate students to freely pursue their research, along with large lecture halls. The first floor is designed as a meeting place for current students, alumni, and seniors, serving as a space to remember those who came before them. The four lecture halls on the first floor are designated as "Immersion Camp Classrooms." During the summer and winter sessions, these rooms will be used for intensive month-long courses focused on improving coding and collaboration skills. During regular semesters, they will be utilized for other lectures. Additionally, to support the physical and mental well-being of those weary from study and research, the building includes a small café on the first floor, a fitness center on the second floor, a Pilates studio on the fifth floor, and a soundproof band practice room in the basement. Dean Seok-Young Ryu of the School of Computing explained, "The motivation for this wave of donations began with gratitude for the excellent professors and wonderful students, the free and open communication, the comfortable acceptance of diversity among various members, and the time when we could fearlessly dream. We cannot fully repay those who provided us with such precious time and space, but instead, this will be a 'Pay It Forward' space, a space of connection, where we share this gratitude with our juniors." Alumnus Byung-Gyu Chang shared, "KAIST is more than just an academic foundation for me; it's a meaningful place that helped me set the direction for my life. I am very happy that this space, born from the desire of KRAFTON's members and myself to give back the opportunities and learning we received to the next generation, is completed today. I hope this space becomes a small but warm echo for KAIST members who freely communicate, challenge themselves, and grow." < Congratulatory speech by alumnus Byung-Gyu Chang > President Kwang-Hyung Lee stated, "The KRAFTON SoC, the expanded building for the School of Computing, is not just a space; it is the culmination of the KAIST community spirit created by alumni, current students, and faculty. I sincerely thank everyone who participated in this meaningful donation, which demonstrates the power of sharing and connection." < Commemorative speech by President Kwang-Hyung Lee > On a related note, the KAIST Development Foundation is actively promoting the "TeamKAIST" campaign for the general public and KAIST alumni to meet more "Daddy Long-Legs" (benefactors) for KAIST. Website: https://giving.kaist.ac.kr/ko/sub01/sub0103_1.php

A Gift of Life on Teachers' Day: Baby Geese Born at KAIST Pond On Teachers' Day, a meaningful miracle of life arrived at the KAIST campus. A pair of geese gave birth to two goslings by the duck pond. < On Teachers' Day, a pair of geese and their goslings leisurely swim in the pond. > The baby goslings, covered in yellow down, began exploring the pond's edge, scurrying about, while their aunt geese steadfastly stood by. Their curious glances, watchful gazes, playful hops on waterside rocks, and the procession of babies swimming behind their parents in the water melted the hearts of onlookers. < As night falls on the duck pond, the goose family gathers among the reeds. > This special new life, born on Teachers' Day, seems to symbolize the day's meaning of "care" and "growth." This wondrous scene of life brought warm comfort and joy to KAIST members, adding the inspiration of nature to a campus that is a space for research and learning. < Under the protection of the adult geese, the goslings take their first steps, exploring the pond's grassy areas and rocks. > This adorable family is already roaming the area leisurely, like the pond's owners. With the joy of life added to the spring-filled pond, warm smiles are spreading across the KAIST campus. < The geese look around, surveying their surroundings, while caring for their goslings. > The pond has now become a small but special haven for students and staff. This goose family, arriving on Teachers' Day, quietly reminds us of the meaning of care and learning conveyed by nature. < The goose family shows care and growth, and warm moments together are anticipated. > --- On Children's Day 2025, a Duck Becomes a Mother In July 2024, a special guest arrived at the KAIST campus. With soft yellow down, waddling gait, and a flat beak, it was undeniably a baby duck. However, for some reason, its mother was nowhere to be seen. Given that it wasn't afraid of people and followed them well, it was clear that someone had abandoned the duck. Fortunately, the baby duck was safely rescued thanks to prompt reporting by students. < Two ducks found on a corner of campus, immediately after their rescue in summer 2024. > The ducks, newly integrated into KAIST, seemed to adapt relatively peacefully to campus life. As new additions, they couldn't blend in with the existing goose flock that had settled on campus, but the geese didn't ostracize them either. Perhaps because they were awkward neighbors, there was hope that the ducks would soon join the existing goose flock. < Following their rescue based on a student's report in summer 2024, the ducks adapted to campus life under the protection of the campus facility team and Professor Won Do Heo. > Professor Won Do Heo of the Department of Biological Sciences, widely known as "Goose Dad," stepped forward to protect them along with the KAIST facility team. Professor Heo is well-known for consistently observing and protecting the campus geese and ducks, which are practically symbols of KAIST. Thanks to the care of the staff and Professor Heo, the two ducks were safely released back onto campus approximately one month after their rescue. < A moment on campus: Before winter, the ducks lived separately from the goose flock, maintaining a certain distance. While there were no conflicts, they rarely socialized. > However, as winter passed, sad news arrived. One duck went missing, and the remaining one was found injured by the pond. While the policy of the facility team and Professor Heo was to minimize intervention to allow campus animals to maintain their natural state, saving the injured duck was the top priority. After being isolated again for a month of recovery, the duck fully recovered and was able to greet spring under the sun. < The mother duck left alone in winter: One went missing, and the remaining one was found injured. After indoor isolation and recovery, she was released back onto campus in the spring. > As spring, the ducks' breeding season, began, Professor Heo decided to offer a little more help. When signs of egg-laying appeared, he consistently provided "special meals for pregnant mothers" throughout March. On the morning of May 5th, Children's Day, 28 days after the mother duck began incubating her eggs with the care and attention of KAIST members, new life finally hatched. It was a precious outcome achieved solely by the duck that had survived abandonment and injury, with no special protection other than food. The duck, having overcome hardship and injury to stand alone, has now formed a new family. Although there is still some distance from the existing goose flock, it is expected that they will naturally find their place in the campus ecosystem, as KAIST's geese are not aggressive or exclusive. The KAIST goose flock already has experience protecting and raising five ducklings. < A new beginning by the pond on Children's Day: On the morning of May 5th, the 28th day of incubation, four ducklings hatched by the pond. This was a natural hatching, achieved without protective equipment. > A single duck brought a special spring to the KAIST campus on Children's Day. The outcome achieved by that small life, leading to the birth of a new family, also symbolizes the harmonious coexistence of people and animals on the KAIST campus. The careful intervention of KAIST members, providing only the necessary assistance from rescue to hatching, makes us reconsider what "desirable coexistence between animals and people" truly means.

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