Hoam Foundation Awards Samsung Hoam Prize to 6 Recipients Including Director Bong Joon-ho

The 2021 Samsung Ho-Am Prize winners are taking a commemorative photo at the awards ceremony held on the 1st at the Shilla Hotel State Guesthouse in Seoul. Science Prize in Physics and Mathematics: Professor Heo Jun-yi, Stanford University, USA (from left); Science Prize in Chemistry and Life Sciences: Professor Kang Bong-gyun, Seoul National University; Engineering Prize: Professor Cho Kyung-hyun, New York University, USA, family (accepting on behalf); Social Service Prize: Lee Seok-ro, Director of Kkoramttola Hospital, family (accepting on behalf); Medicine Prize: Professor Lee Dae-yeol, Johns Hopkins University, USA, family (accepting on behalf); Arts Prize: Film Director Bong Joon-ho.
[Photo by Ho-Am Foundation]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] On the 1st, the Hoam Foundation held the '31st Samsung Hoam Prize Award Ceremony for 2021' at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, awarding 300 million KRW each, certificates, and pure gold medals to six recipients this year, including director Bong Joon-ho (52).

This year's recipients are ▲ Science Prize in Physics and Mathematics: Heo Jun-yi (38), professor at Stanford University, USA ▲ Science Prize in Chemistry and Life Sciences: Kang Bong-gyun (60), professor at Seoul National University ▲ Engineering Prize: Cho Kyung-hyun (36), professor at New York University, USA ▲ Medical Prize: Lee Dae-yeol (54), distinguished professor at Johns Hopkins University, USA ▲ Arts Prize: film director Bong Joon-ho ▲ Social Service Prize: Lee Seok-ro (57), director of Koramtola Hospital in Bangladesh.

This year's ceremony was held with a minimal number of attendees due to COVID-19, including the recipients and their spouses, Hoam Foundation directors, and Hoam Prize committee members. The Engineering, Medical, and Social Service Prize recipients who are currently abroad were represented by their families in Korea.

Kim Hwang-sik, chairman of the Hoam Foundation, said, "It is a great joy and pride to host distinguished individuals who have elevated national prestige and enriched and beautified the world as recipients in the first year of separating and expanding the Science Prize to support the development of the domestic scientific community."

The Hoam Foundation plans to hold an online knowledge lecture for youth nationwide during the upcoming school vacation in early August. Experts from various fields will give lectures on the latest topics such as artificial intelligence, post-COVID, climate change, happy living, and a world of coexistence, with online participation and discussions for youth.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Hoam Prize was established in 1990 by the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee to honor the spirit of talent-first and social contribution of Hoam Lee Byung-chul, the founder of Samsung. To date, a total of 158 Korean-descended individuals who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in academia, arts, and social service have been selected as recipients, with total prize money awarded amounting to 28.9 billion KRW.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.