KAIST, whose president selection process has been delayed for more than a year, appears likely to complete the process under the current board chair's leadership.
According to the science and technology community on the 20th, KAIST recently finalized three candidates for the new president and is strongly considering a plan to first appoint the new president at the next special board meeting, then proceed with the election of the board chair.
Back in Feb., KAIST convened its board with current President Lee Kwang-hyung, Kim Jeong-ho, a professor in the School of Electrical Engineering, and Lee Yong-hoon, former president of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, as candidates, but failed to appoint a president. It was the first time since KAIST's founding that a presidential appointment motion was voted down by the board.
Then, on the 15th, the KAIST Presidential Candidate Nomination Committee recommended to the board three in-house professors—Ryu Seok-young of the School of Computing, Bae Chung-sik of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Lee Do-heon of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering—as candidates for the next president. Once the government's personnel vetting of the candidates is completed, the KAIST board will select the final president by vote.
Board Chair Kim Myung-ja's term ended on the 8th, but under the articles of association, she is staying on until a successor is elected. Accordingly, at the next special board meeting, there is a high likelihood the process will first appoint the president under the current chair and then elect a new chair.
The board meeting to appoint the president is expected to be held as soon as the government's vetting of the three candidates is completed. Some observers say the board could meet as early as next month.