Korea Toray Science Foundation (Chairman Young-Kwan Lee) has selected Professor Sang Kyu Kim of the Department of Chemistry at KAIST as the recipient of the 9th Korea Toray Science and Technology Award in the Basic Research category of chemistry and materials, and Professor Yoonhee Kim of the Department of Chemistry at Gyeongsang National University as the recipient in the Applied Research category. Each awardee will receive a prize of KRW 100 million.

Professor Sang Kyu Kim was recognized for developing original experimental techniques that enable the observation of molecular changes occurring over extremely short timescales. Using these techniques, he elucidated the structural dynamics of transition states and conical intersections, which govern chemical reaction rates, and investigated how chemical reactivity changes according to molecular structure. He also presented new concepts and experimental evidence for understanding the fundamental principles of electron–nuclear correlations by precisely controlling electrons in anions.

Professor Yoon-hee Kim is a leading female scientist who has produced outstanding research achievements in the synthesis of organic semiconductor materials and contributed to the advancement of organic semiconductor research in Korea. She was recognized for securing foundational technology for high-efficiency deep-blue OLED materials and driving technological advances through industry collaboration, thereby contributing to the localization of materials and the development of the technological and human resources infrastructure for related industries.

In addition, five emerging scientists have been selected for the Korea Toray Fellowship. Each researcher will receive a total of KRW 150 million in research funding over three years.

The fellowship recipients in the Basic Research category of chemistry and materials are Professor Intek Song of the Department of Physics and Chemistry at DGIST and Professor Seung Youn Hong of the Department of Chemistry at Seoul National University. The recipients in the Applied Research category are Professor Hyeong Jun Kim of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Sogang University, Professor Dong Won Chun of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at POSTECH, and Professor Donghyo Hahm of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Hanyang University.

The recipients of the Korea Toray Science and Technology Award and Fellowship were selected through a rigorous review process following an open call for candidates from April through June. The review comprehensively evaluated candidates’ academic achievements, originality, and potential contributions to the future advancement of science and technology. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held in October.

Established in 2018 to advance science and technology in Korea, the Korea Toray Science Foundation is a public-interest foundation that has selected 18 recipients of the Science and Technology Award and 40 Fellowship researchers to date, including this year’s awardees. The Foundation also provides scholarships to 30 university students in science and engineering each year and has supported a total of 255 scholarship students through the fall semester of 2026, contributing to scientific and technological advancement and the development of next-generation talent.