Jeonnam Office of Education Achieves Double Victory at "Nobel Prize for Invention Education"?A National First

Kim Gwangyu Receives Merit Award,
Kim Yeontae Wins Teacher Award
Both Honored Simultaneously

The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education announced on December 8 that Vice Principal Kim Gwan-gyu of Samhyangbuk Elementary School received the Merit Award and Teacher Kim Yeontae of Yeosu Jungang Elementary School received the Teacher Award at the 2025 Korea Invention Education Awards.

The Korea Invention Education Awards are a prestigious honor in the education sector, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize for Invention Teachers," and only two individuals-one in each category-are selected. This is the first time that all recipients have come from the same region.

(Left) Vice Principal Kim Gwan-gyu, (Right) Teacher Kim Yeontae

Vice Principal Kim Gwan-gyu became the first educator in the country to receive awards in both categories, having won the Teacher Award in 2017 and now the Merit Award this year.

He is also the only person to have received all awards and certifications granted by the Korea Invention Promotion Association, including the Korea Invention Education Award, the National Outstanding Invention Education Center Leader Award, and the Invention Education Master Certification.

Currently serving as Vice President of the Jeonnam Invention Education Research Association, Vice Principal Kim has led efforts to bridge regional gaps in invention education for over 12 years. He operated 149 outreach programs over 11 years and was recognized for spearheading innovation in invention education, including establishing a local creativity ecosystem in collaboration with local governments and the education office, and expanding patent-based education.

Teacher Kim Yeontae, a Level 1 Certified Invention Education Teacher, contributed to restructuring invention education in the Yeosu region. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, he conducted invention classes at every school that applied, and in 2024, established Yeosu's first regular secondary gifted invention class, building a sustainable invention education system.

He also received high praise for developing regional specialization programs integrating IP education, maker activities, environment, and arts; organizing invention festivals in underserved areas such as special schools and remote islands; and promoting the renovation of aging invention education centers.

Vice Principal Kim Gwan-gyu stated, "Thanks to the continuous support from the provincial office of education, regional invention education has been able to grow." Teacher Kim Yeontae said, "I will further deepen and broaden invention education that will shape the future."

Kim Younggil, Director of Glocal Future Education, commented, "The simultaneous receipt of the Merit Award and Teacher Award in Jeonnam is the result of our educational direction and the dedication of those in the field bearing fruit," adding, "The passion of these two educators has played a major role in elevating the standard of invention education in Jeonnam to the highest level nationwide."

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