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Chairman Jae-Chul Kim of Dongwon Group Donates a Total of 60.3 Billion Won to KAIST
<Jae-Chul Kim, Honorary Chairman of Dongwon Group>
"In the era of AI, a new future lies within the sea of data. I ask that KAIST leaps forward to become the world's No. 1 AI research group." — Jae-Chul Kim, Honorary Chairman of Dongwon Group
KAIST announced on January 16th that Honorary Chairman Jae-Chul Kim of Dongwon Group has pledged an additional 5.9 billion KRW in development funds to foster Artificial Intelligence (AI) talent and strengthen research infrastructure, bringing his total contribution to 60.3 billion KRW. This marks his second additional donation since 2020, continuing his steadfast support for strengthening South Korea's national competitiveness in the field of AI.
Through his initial donation in 2020, Chairman Kim established the 'Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI' at KAIST, urging the university to secure world-class capabilities. Upon hearing that KAIST’s AI research level ranked 5th among global universities over the past five years (2020–2024), Chairman Kim requested that the university strive to reach the No. 1 spot in the world.
In response, President Kwang Hyung Lee explained, "To surpass Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), which is currently evaluated as the world’s best with an AI faculty of about 45, the KAIST Graduate School of AI needs to expand its faculty to over 50 and construct a dedicated research building." Chairman Kim responded by saying, "I will build the building," and this latest donation is a fulfillment of that promise.
This third pledge of 5.9 billion KRW was decided to cover the projected budget shortfall as the design of the AI Education and Research Building enters full-scale development.
The AI Education and Research Building will be a facility with 8 floors above ground and 1 basement level, covering a total floor area of 18,182 m² (approx. 5,500 pyeong). It is scheduled for completion in February 2028. Once finished, it will serve as a global AI research hub housing 50 faculty members and 1,000 students.
Since the 2021 academic year, KAIST has been selecting 60 Master’s and 10 Doctoral students annually as 'Dongwon Scholars' outside of the regular quota for a period of 10 years. While the tuition and research incentives for the first three years were supported by the donation, KAIST has been utilizing its own budget since the 2024 academic year to ensure students can focus entirely on their research.
Moving forward, the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI plans to build a world-class faculty and operate systematic Master's and Doctoral programs to cultivate global AI leaders. In addition to technical expertise, the school will offer educational programs focused on character and holistic development, leading the charge in strengthening Korea's AI competitiveness.
Honorary Chairman Jae-Chul Kim stated, "I hope this donation serves as a small 'priming water' for South Korea to leap forward as an AI powerhouse. I look forward to seeing global core talents grow here and contribute to our national strength."
President Kwang Hyung Lee expressed his gratitude, saying, "Chairman Kim’s unwavering support is the greatest driving force for KAIST to secure global AI sovereignty. We will ensure the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI becomes a mecca where the world's best AI minds gather to innovate, honoring the Chairman’s vision."
2026.01.16 View 2808 -
KAIST to Showcase K-Tech Competitiveness at KAIST Pavilion during CES 2026
< Figure 1. Bird's-eye view of the KAIST Pavilion at CES 2026 >
KAIST announced on January 2nd that it will participate in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026), held from January 6 to 9, 2026, at Eureka Park in the Venetian Expo, Las Vegas. KAIST will operate a dedicated 111㎡ "KAIST Pavilion" to showcase its innovative technologies to global corporations and investors.
A total of 12 startups will participate in the KAIST Pavilion at CES 2026. Notably, eight of these companies are built on core AI technologies, highlighting KAIST's artificial intelligence research capabilities and its achievements in technology commercialization.
The participating companies will unveil solutions targeting the global market across various high-tech sectors centered on AI, including robotics, bio-health, hardware devices, and content technology.
One of the standout participants is Hypergram, a faculty-led startup. Hypergram will introduce 'HG VNIR Pro,' the world’s first commercialized compressive hyperspectral imaging technology. This product is an end-to-end solution that integrates industrial-grade precision hardware with AI analysis software, capable of detecting minute chemical properties invisible to the human eye in real-time. During the exhibition, the company plans to demonstrate high-precision AI image analysis using its high-speed hyperspectral machine vision camera.
< Figure 2. Hypergram >
MOSS, a winner of the CES 2026 Innovation Award, will exhibit an AI-based, all-in-one mobile music production platform. This platform allows the general public and indie musicians to create high-quality music without a heavy financial burden. Visitors can experience the intuitiveness and innovation of the technology at an AI experience zone, where they can create music by linking the MOSS app with the dedicated hardware, 'MOSS Pocket Studio.'
< Figure 3. MOSS (Innovation Award Winning Product) >
BareulEye is developing a medical AI diagnostic solution that detects high-resolution changes in internal organ microstructures based on AI-powered quantitative ultrasound analysis technology. At CES 2026, they will unveil a 3D volume reconstruction technology that utilizes smart mirror-based self-ultrasound imaging.
Leveraging this technological prowess, BareulEye recently secured approximately $10 million (14 billion KRW) in a strategic Series A investment from a leading global healthcare company. Led by Professor Hyeon-min Bae, the Director of the KAIST Institute for Startup & Entrepreneurship and CEO of BareulEye, the company plans to accelerate joint technology development and overseas market expansion.
< Figure 4. BareulEye >
In addition to these, various KAIST startups leading innovation in AI, bio, and hardware devices will participate to solidify their foundations for entering the global market.
The KAIST Pavilion is designed with an open layout and large-scale LED displays to attract attention, featuring independent spaces for each company to facilitate in-depth technical presentations and investment consultations.
"Through CES 2026, we aim to imprint the AI-driven innovative technologies of KAIST startups on the global stage and establish a practical bridgehead for their international expansion," said Keon Jae Lee, Vice President of the KAIST Institute for Technology Value Creation.
2026.01.02 View 4250 -
KAIST Drives National Competitiveness with a Dual-Impact Model for AI Research and Regional Innovation
<Photo of KAIST Students>
KAIST announced on December 9th that it will accelerate the nurturing of world-class scientific talent and regional balanced development. This follows the government's recent announcement on 'Leaping to a Science and Technology Powerhouse, the Republic of Korea, Where People Dream of Becoming Science and Technology Professionals Again (Nov. 7),' which explicitly named the four major science and technology institutes, including KAIST, as AX (AI Transformation) innovation hubs and key leading institutions for regional innovation.
This move aligns with the policy direction of President Jae-myung Lee. On November 4th, President Jae-myung Lee stated in a Cabinet meeting, "STEM talent is the core of national competitiveness," adding that "the increase in applicants for early admissions to the four major science and technology institutes is a very desirable phenomenon for the nation's future." In particular, the President requested that the government "actively seek concrete policies, such as expanding the allowance for transfers between STEM fields, increasing budget support, securing excellent faculty, and upgrading research and education infrastructure, because science and technology institutes can also significantly contribute to regional balanced development."
KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee stated, "Strengthening AI research capabilities and regional balanced development is a Dual-Impact Model for AI Research and Regional Innovation that boosts national competitiveness." He confirmed that through the government's policy direction, the innovation philosophy KAIST has pursued—that 'the region is national competitiveness'—has been established as a core national direction.
In reality, KAIST continues to firmly play a central role in nurturing the talent that sustains South Korea's science and technology sector, even amid the deepening phenomenon of students flocking to medical schools. The increase in early admission applicants to the four science and technology institutes proves the successful establishment of education and research foundations where students can choose the dream of becoming science and technology professionals instead of doctors. To accelerate this trend, KAIST is focusing on establishing a National AI Research Lab and pioneering the next-generation AI research paradigm with the goal of becoming one of the top three AI powerhouses (G3) globally.
Our university was selected not only to lead the development of the next-generation bio-AI model 'K-Fold'—which surpasses Google DeepMind—and as a key participating institution in the Lunit consortium, but also as a core research team in the national AI flagship project, the 'Generative AI Leading Talent Cultivation Program.' Through discovering research topics that reflect diverse technological demands from industries, nurturing advanced AI talent, and demonstrating research outcomes in industrial settings, KAIST is being reborn as a field-ready leader guiding the AI Transformation (AX) across all of South Korea's industries.
KAIST's AI research competitiveness has also been officially recognized overseas. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang personally introduced KAIST as an "Amazing University" during his keynote speech at the 2025 APEC CEO Summit (Oct. 31), highly evaluating KAIST's world-class research capabilities and global collaboration potential.
Regional innovation is also gaining momentum. Our university is expanding physical AI-based research infrastructure in regions like Jeonbuk and Gyeongnam, centered around its main campus in Daejeon. Through the AI and robot-based 'Robot Valley Project' and the 'Global Innovation Startup Growth Hub Project,' in cooperation with Daejeon City, KAIST is supporting the advancement of local industries and the growth and global expansion of startups.
<ANGEL SUIT, a gait-training robot>
In particular, Sovagen—a bio-company founded on the technology of Professor Jeong Ho Lee of the KAIST Graduate School of Medical Science—recently succeeded in an overseas technology transfer of an RNA new drug for epilepsy valued at 750 billion KRW, proving a virtuous cycle model of innovation where university research translates into actual industry success.
Furthermore, the foundation for future talent development is being strengthened through efforts like promoting a culture of challenging research via the 'Failure Lab,' and early nurturing of outstanding talent through the 'Junior KAIST' and '3+4 TUBE Programs.' While setting the direction for regional university innovation through the specialized and performance-centric 'KAIST Model,' the university is also taking the lead in popularizing science and fulfilling its social responsibilities.
President Kwang Hyung Lee emphasized, "We will continue to pursue the expansion of the AI research budget and the establishment of international joint research infrastructure through close cooperation with the government." He concluded, "We will cultivate young talents who have chosen the future to be the main players in South Korean science and technology, fulfilling our central role in the 'AI Powerhouse Republic of Korea,' where the nation and the regions grow together."
2025.12.09 View 3677 -
President Shin Shares His Biggest Challenges, Success, and New Mission
President Sung-Chul Shin talks on his biggest challenges, successes, and new mission in an interview with Times Higher Education on June 29. Followings are the full text of the interview.
▶ What are the unique challenges and advantages of being a university in the Asia-Pacific region?
Globalization is definitely the biggest challenge. KAIST has made strenuous institutional efforts to address this issue for decades. Globalization is not just about language issues, especially for an Asian university. There are still lingering cultural barriers. However, we are improving and seeing significant progress. Approximately 85 per cent of our classes are being lectured in English, and my ultimate goal is to make KAIST a bilingual campus for a more globalized environment.
Speaking of advantages, we can recruit top-quality students from neighboring countries.
▶ What role do universities have in creating social equality?
I strongly believe that education is an essential means of empowerment and social mobility. KAIST has diligently promoted policies to help ensure greater diversity, without discriminating against anyone’s talents on the basis of gender, race, or background.
We implement an equal opportunity admission system, with special consideration given to the underprivileged, geographically-excluded groups, North Korean refugees, and many other disadvantaged groups. We recruit five percent of our freshmen from these groups under our admission system annually.
As for the gender gap, our female student population is now over 25 per cent, and we expect in the very near future the ratio will increase up to 30 percent. However, female faculty ratio stands at around 10 per cent, so we will attempt to double the ratio soon.
In addition, we work to emphasize social responsibility to our students. They are a privileged group, so they should be responsible for giving back their knowledge and talents to society in diverse ways. I am very glad that many of our students engage in the social entrepreneurship programs we are running now. That will be fruitful for ensuring social equity as well as making society better.
▶ What is the most important issue affecting your university right now?
KAIST has now emerged as a world-class university and one of the most innovative universities in the Asia-Pacific region. However, building on our new reputation as a "world-leading" university remains a big challenge. As the first and top research university in Korea, KAIST has been the gateway to the advancement of science and technology and innovation.
We are now responsible for taking the lead in creating new knowledge that will make a global impact. This is the momentum we need to make another quantum leap to become the university which creates the most global value.
▶ There is a great pressure in Korea for young people to get into a “top” university. Is this pressure on school students too great?
Traditionally, going to a top school was deemed the ladder to success in life. We went through the economically tough times in which diverse groups of occupations had never existed before. As a result, competition between individuals was incredibly high to get into good school and good company.
It is true that such social pressure occupied thoughts of many young students and their parents. In effect, that was also the driving force for achieving Korea’s economic growth in a relatively short period of time. But things are changing now.
We are living in a complex global economic environment. The number of new occupations creates new knowledge and new types of jobs. Even more, this new era changed the conventional paradigm of jobs and success. Successful careers take collaboration, and one must seek whom to work with, where you fit, and what you will do and how you can reach your potential.
This change of perception has begun to transform the general definition of a successful life. The government and educational institutions are working to reflect new socio-economic trend to maximize students’ creativity and their own uniqueness in many educational institutions.
However, strong competition to get into a top university seems to be a universal problem - as is also the case for the Ivy League in the US and many other regions.
▶ South Korean universities have some of the closest links to industry. Is a lot of your job about building relationships with companies rather than focusing on educational issues?
The relationship with industry is increasingly significant, and collaboration is very important in Korea. It is a crucial source for securing students’ jobs. On top of that, we get research funding from companies and supply the pipeline of new inventions and innovation for them, in many case through collaboration projects. That could also be interpreted as our reputation of institutional performance through diverse evaluation indicators.
From the industry side, we are a very good supplier of high-caliber manpower. Therefore, a solid relationship with industry is key to the creation of added value of knowledge, as well as a critical steppingstone for technology commercialization.
Therefore, scaling up the organic relationship with industry is part of our education and research portfolio as well as part of my job as president.
▶ Do you think the main role of universities is to prepare graduates for the world of work?
The role of higher education is to educate the future generation and create new knowledge though research. The conventional concept of research and development (R&D) has expanded to R&DB, as it now includes business. Thus, the role of a university is also evolving. Universities should provide diverse opportunities for graduates to prepare them to contribute to society. That will be one of the ways to realize the social responsibility of a university.
▶ If someone else was taking over your role tomorrow, what’s the most useful advice you could give them?
When I took the office in March, I made up my mind to serve our students, faculty and staff with all my heart. I would say, inspire your people with leadership that they can emotionally connected with, if possible. In addition, I think only professionalism can make the best professionals.
▶ Who has inspired you during your career?
Dr. Kun-Mo Chung, former vice president of KAIST and former minister for science and technology, is my role model and mentor. He is an internationally renowned nuclear engineer and scholar, and successful technocrat who served as the minister for science and technology twice. He still teaches at KAIST in his eighties.
I admired his visionary leadership and his successful career as administrator as well as accomplished scholar. After graduating from Seoul National University, he went to Michigan State University. In his early thirties, he came back to Korea as a member of the United States Agency for International Development survey team to conduct the feasibility study for founding KAIST. He wrote the proposal in the Terman Report to the USAID that the establishment of KAIST would be necessary and useful for Korea. With $6 million dollar loan from the agency, he founded KAIST. He is the true innovator, I think.
▶ How do you use data to make sure your university is performing well? We are analyzing the diverse data released from international evaluation institutions such as THE data and Clarivate Analytics, as well as domestic institutions. Through the various indicators of data, we are keen to realize the global standard of our institution and advance our innovation competitiveness at a global level.
2017.07.06 View 9840