Heo Jun Recognized by Lee Jae-yong First... Samsung Behind the Fields Medal Award

Before Receiving the Nobel Prize of Mathematics 'Fields Medal'
Last Year’s Ho-Am Prize Winner Gains Attention

Consistent CSR Activities by SAFFY and Dream Class

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong is departing for a business trip to Europe on the 7th through the Gimpo Business Aviation Center (SGBAC) in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Behind Junhyung Hur, the first Korean to receive the Fields Medal, known as the 'Nobel Prize of Mathematics,' is Samsung. Hur, a professor in the Department of Mathematics at Princeton University in the United States, was the first recipient of the Samsung Ho-Am Prize in Physics and Mathematics, established last year at the suggestion of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, drawing attention. Every year during the Nobel Prize season, debates arise about the neglect of basic science, often framed as 'several Japanese laureates versus zero Korean laureates,' but Samsung has long recognized and publicized the academic achievements of this 'giant' in the field.

According to Samsung on the 10th, Professor Hur, who received the Fields Medal on the 6th, also received the Samsung Ho-Am Prize last year. The Ho-Am Prize was established in 1990 by the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee to honor the spirit of talent-first and social contribution of the late Chairman Lee Byung-chul. It is also called the 'Korean Nobel Prize.' It is awarded to Korean and Korean-descended individuals domestically and internationally who have made outstanding achievements in five fields: science, engineering, medicine, arts, and social contribution. The prize included a 50-don pure gold medal and a cash award of 300 million won, and since last year, the science category has been expanded to include physics and mathematics, as well as chemistry and life sciences.

What is noteworthy is that Samsung clearly understands and acknowledges the value of basic science. The division of awards into physics and mathematics, and chemistry and life sciences, was an idea of Vice Chairman Lee. After announcing a 450 trillion won investment recently, Lee emphasized that "first, second, and third is technology," showing his dedication to technology management. It is said that he has a strong interest in academic achievements in the basic science field. In May, he even attended the award ceremony for the first time in six years, expressing his affection for the Samsung Ho-Am Prize. From its inception to this year, the Samsung Ho-Am Prize has produced a total of 164 laureates and awarded a total of 30.7 billion won in prize money.

Samsung explained, "With Professor Hur receiving the Fields Medal, Samsung's support for the basic science field is once again drawing attention," adding, "The expansion of award categories was intended to increase support for the basic science field, which is relatively weak compared to engineering or medicine, to strengthen the foundation of the industrial ecosystem and ultimately contribute to enhancing national competitiveness."

At the 31st Samsung Ho-Am Prize Awards Ceremony held last year, Heo Jun (far left), a professor at Stanford University in the United States, received the Science Award in the Physics and Mathematics category and is seen taking a commemorative photo with the other awardees. (Photo by Samsung Electronics)

This is not just Vice Chairman Lee's intention alone. Samsung Group has consistently engaged in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities. In addition to academic support, it has steadily implemented programs such as the Samsung Youth SW Academy (SAFFY), which provides young people with work experience, and 'Samsung Dream Class,' an educational volunteer program for low-income middle and high school students. Samsung's history of fulfilling the corporate duty of 'generating profits and returning them to society' goes back even further.

As Korea's representative IT company, Samsung's dedication to nurturing and supporting technical talent is seen as a natural phenomenon. Since core industries like semiconductors and electric vehicle batteries are evolving into intense competitions and chicken games among advanced countries, the issue of talent outflow has become a serious concern, which also highlights the significance of Samsung's support through the Ho-Am Prize.

Professor Hur received the Samsung Ho-Am Prize for his achievements in solving 11 long-standing mathematical problems, including the Reid conjecture and the Rota conjecture, which were longstanding challenges in modern mathematics. Usually, mathematicians find it difficult to solve even one such problem in their lifetime, but he solved more than ten. When receiving the Samsung Ho-Am Prize last year, Professor Hur said, "Mathematics is a process of recognizing my own prejudices and limitations," and added, "I believe that the difficult problems we have not yet solved can be resolved through the integration of understanding."

Besides Professor Hur, several other Samsung Ho-Am Prize laureates are considered strong candidates for the Nobel Prize. The global academic information service Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters) named Ho-Am Prize recipients Charles Lee, a professor at Jackson Laboratory in the U.S., Yong Yul Yoo, a distinguished professor at KAIST, and Namkyu Park, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, as 'strong candidates for the Nobel Prize.'

The Fields Medal, established in 1936, is the highest award in mathematics, given every four years to mathematicians under 40 who have achieved outstanding accomplishments and are expected to make significant academic contributions in the future. Along with the Abel Prize, it is called the 'Nobel Prize of Mathematics.'

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