The Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) elected 34 full members for 2026 at the "2025 2nd regular general meeting" held on the 27th in the afternoon.
The new full members are 10 in the natural sciences division, including Kim Hyeon-jeong, a professor at Sogang University; 11 in the engineering division, including Kim Dong-ha, a professor at Ewha Womans University; 3 in the agricultural and fisheries sciences division, including Kang Byeong-cheol, a professor at Seoul National University; and 10 in the medical and pharmaceutical sciences division, including Kang Seok-gu, a professor at Yonsei University.
The average age of the 34 electees this year is 55, with the youngest electee being 47 (Shin Seok-woo, distinguished professor at the Korea Institute for Advanced Study, born in 1978), and two are women scientists (Kim Hyeon-jeong, professor at Sogang University, and Park So-jeong, professor at Ewha Womans University), accounting for 5.9% of the total.
In addition, a director and Ph.D. at the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) was elected as a KAST member for the first time from the institution, and Kim Yong-gi, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University, became a KAST member as the second ever from Sookmyung Women's University and the first in 30 years.
KAST full members are selected through a rigorous three-stage review from among science and technology professionals who have worked in the field for more than 20 years, produced outstanding research results, and made significant contributions to the development of their fields. The review comprehensively evaluates the excellence of the research and its academic and technological impact, as well as contributions to the advancement of science and technology at home and abroad, focusing on 10 representative papers that include achievements within the past five years.
KAST plans to hold the "2026 full member new member plaque awarding ceremony" on Jan. 22 next year and introduce the new members' research achievements.