‘17 Years, 2 Billion Won’... The Beautiful Partnership Between UNIST and Its ‘Benefactor,’ the Kyungdong Scholarship Foundation

19.8 Billion Won in Scholarships for 196 Students,
Supporting a Science Festival for Students and Citizens
Scholarships That Enable Academic and Research Focus...
A Model Case of University-Community Cooperation

Seventeen years and a total of 2 billion won in scholarships.

There has been a steadfast 'benefactor' who has consistently supported UNIST, the cradle of scientific talent in Ulsan and South Korea: the Kyungdong Scholarship Foundation.

UNIST (President Chong Rae Park) held the '2025 Kyungdong Scholarship Foundation Certificate Award Ceremony' in the main conference hall on the 24th, awarding a total of 100 million won to five incoming freshmen.

Five UNIST students received scholarship certificates and are taking a commemorative photo with executives from the Kyungdong Scholarship Foundation and other related personnel. Photo by UNIST

Since the university's establishment in 2007, a total of 196 UNIST students have received scholarships, with cumulative support reaching 1.9795 billion won. By providing over 100 million won in scholarships every year without fail, the foundation's scholarship program has become a vital foundation for nurturing UNIST talent.

This long-term support has eased students' financial and tuition burdens, allowing them to focus on experiments and academics. It is regarded as a leading example of contributing to the cultivation of science and technology talent in the region.

Lee Yuhyeon, a freshman selected as a scholarship recipient this year, said, "Thanks to the scholarship, I can now focus on experiments and projects. I accept the title of Kyungdong Scholar with a sense of responsibility and hope to one day give back the support I have received."

This year, the foundation's activities expanded beyond scholarships. The 'UNIST Creative Design Festival,' sponsored by the foundation, was held for the first time at the end of September, with participation not only from UNIST students but also from Ulsan citizens and local middle and high school students.

Students took on creative challenges by turning their ideas into actual structures and devices, while young participants experienced the world of science and technology firsthand. The festival served as a platform for natural interaction between the university and the local community.

Fourteen teams were selected as outstanding participants at the festival, and the foundation awarded scholarships to these top teams. The students' challenges and achievements were directly supported. The foundation plans to further expand support for student research activities at next year's event.

Chong Rae Park, President of UNIST and Chairman of the Kyungdong Scholarship Foundation, emphasized, "The Kyungdong Scholarship Foundation has realized a virtuous cycle model where the growth of students directly leads to the growth of the region. The foundation's continuous support has become the fundamental strength that builds UNIST's future competitiveness."

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