■Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) marked its 50th anniversary. At 10:30 a.m. on the 6th, KRISS held a "50th anniversary ceremony of the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science" at the main auditorium of its Daejeon headquarters, with about 350 guests, including dignitaries and current and former employees, in attendance. Attendees included First Vice Minister Gu Hyeok-chae of the Ministry of Science and ICT, Chair Kim Young-sik of the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST), Deputy Mayor for Policy, Economy and Science Choi Seong-a of Daejeon City, Chair Kim Myeong-ja of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and heads of Government-funded research institute, along with representatives from industry, academia, research and government, who celebrated KRISS's half-century of achievements and wished for a new leap forward.
■The National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK) commemorated the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation this year by selecting the "80 industrial technology heritages," which made decisive contributions to national development and improving the quality of life after liberation, and publishing a commemorative booklet containing the details. The 80 industrial technology heritages selected this time include technological achievements that overcame the challenges of each era and transformed people's lives. NAEK President Yun Ui-jun emphasized, "This set of 80 will instill pride in future generations and serve as a milestone for Korea to continue leading the world in an era of new challenges such as artificial intelligence (AI)."
■Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) announced on the 5th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Vietnam National University and Hanoi University of Science and Technology to strengthen research cooperation between the institutions, exchange personnel, and jointly foster talent. The main contents of the MOU include conducting joint research, support and cooperation related to the entry of Korean corporations into Vietnam, and cooperation in other areas of common interest between the two institutions. Following the signing of this MOU, KIST decided to support a planning project to establish an action plan from 2026 for conducting joint research between the two institutions to ensure substantive implementation.
■Korea Institute of Science and Technology held the "KIST Academic Session" at the fall conference of the Korean Academy of Technological Innovation in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province on the 6th. The session was planned to pass down to the next generation the heritage of innovation in science and technology research and development accumulated over 60 years, ahead of KIST's 60th anniversary in 2026. To incorporate diverse perspectives, six researchers across four fields were invited for presentations and a panel discussion. Vice President Jang Jun-yeon said, "We will do our best to ensure that our institute's research philosophy and spirit of innovation are systematically carried on and advanced."
■Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said on the 6th that the AutoPhone team (Fluiz, KAIST, Korea University, Sungkyunkwan University), led by Shin In-sik, a professor in the School of Computing and CEO of Fluiz Co., was selected as the inaugural AI champion (No. 1) at the "2025 AI Champion Competition" hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The competition is the largest AI technology contest in the country, comprehensively evaluating the innovativeness of AI technology, social impact, and commercialization potential. Among 630 teams nationwide, the AutoPhone team took the top honor and will receive 3 billion won in research and development funding.
■Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) was designated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a "leisure-friendly management" institution. The "leisure-friendly management certification system" is a program that officially certifies corporations and institutions that harmonize work and leisure. To promote leisure-friendly management, KITECH formed "KITECH BUILDER," a leading group for improving organizational culture with voluntary participation by all employees, and has discovered and operated various organizational culture programs to achieve work-life balance. Earlier, in 2022, KITECH was selected as an "excellent institution for innovation in the organizational culture of government-funded research institutes," organized by the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST).