Scientist of the Year Award
Scientist of the Year Award is one of several awards given in South Korea by the. From 1985, it was awarded to one individual. From 1999, it was given to three winners, each within their own category, which changed to one category and one winner in 1996, removed the category system from 2011, and allowed multiple winners the following year. Laureates receive a medal and 3 million KRW cash prize.
Other awards given by the Association include the Korea Science Journalist Award, Korea Medical Scholarship Award, Korean Medical Science Award, and Contribution Award for Science and Medicine PR.
Laureates
Spelling of laureates' names matches their Wikipedia page, if it exists, the remainder uses Revised Romanization of Korean. Job position and institution information are from the Korea Science Journalists Association's website.| Year | Scientist of the Year | Position and institution |
| 1985 | Senior researcher, KAIST | |
| 1986 | Lee Wonyeong | Professor, College of Medicine, Yonsei University |
| 1987 | Kim Young-gil | KAIST |
| 1988 | Park Jong-sei | Director, Olympic Doping Control Center |
| 1989 | Bak Sangcheol | College of Medicine, Seoul National University |
| 1990 | Hong Jubong | Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Korea [Institute of Science and Technology] |
| 1991 | Lee Jinhyo | Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute |
| 1992 | Kim Sutae | Seoul National University |
| 1993 | Bak Geonyu | Korea Institute of Science and Technology |
| 1994 | Lee Dongyeong | Professor, Department of Physics, POSTECH |
| 1995 | – | – |
| 1996 | Chon Kilnam | Professor, Department of Computer Science, KAIST |
| 1997 | Gwon Odae | Professor, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, POSTECH |
| 1998 | Ihm Jisoon | Professor, Department of Physics, Seoul National University |
| 1999 | Lee Hyeoncheol Ahn Cheol-soo Hwang Woo-suk | Yonsei University Medical College Director, AhnLab, Inc. Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University |
| 2000 | Bak Byeongyeop | Vice Chairman, Pantech Professor of Astronomy and Space Science, Yonsei University |
| 2001 | Lee Hyeoncheol Ryu Seongeon | Medical College, Yonsei University Samsung Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology |
| 2002 | Bak Gwiwon Lee Gyeongju Bae Seokcheol | Professor, Seoul National University President, KTF Professor, Chungbuk National University |
| 2003 | Jo Yunae No Yongman Jo Junmyeong | Professor, Anam Hospital, Korea University Professor, Korea Information and Communication University Crystal Genomics |
| 2004 | Song Jaehun Gwon Suncheol Lee Sangyeol | Professor, Sungkyunkwan University Managing director, KT Corporation Professor, Gyeongsang National University |
| 2005 | Kim Gyeonggyu Kim Yanggyun | School of Science, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea |
| 2006 | Lee Sangyeop | Professor, Dept. of Biotechnology, KAIST |
| 2007 | Lee Jio | KAIST |
| 2008 | Seo Yeongjun | College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University |
| 2009 | Jang Gyutae | National Primate Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology |
| 2010 | Park Jong Oh | Director, Robot Research Institute, Chonnam National University |
| 2011 | Bak Wancheol | Korea Institute of Science and Technology |
| 2012 | Choe Honam Han Donggeun Kim Jongyeol Kim Segwang | Head of Information Service Center, Korea Institute of [Science and Technology Information] Biomaterial Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Director, Policy Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine Foundry Technology Center, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology |
| 2013 | Park Jong Oh Lee Sangyeop Min Gyeongchan Kim Seunghwan Seo Gapyang Gang Gwanhyeong | Professor, Chonnam National University Professor, KAIST Professor of Mathematics, Yonsei University Professor, POSTECH Seoul National University POSTECH |
| 2014 | Lee Yungnam Bak Hyeongju Seong Yeongcheol | Director, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources Professor of Mathematics, POSTECH Professor, Department of Life Convergence, POSTECH |
| 2015 | Kim Jin-soo | Director, Center for Genome Engineering, Institute for Basic Science, & Professor, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University Professor of Mechanical Engineering, KAIST Professor, College of Medicine, Seoul National University |
| 2016 | Kim V. Narry Han Hoseong Hong Taegyeong | Director, Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, & Professor, School of Life Sciences, Seoul National University Professor, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital Professor, Department of Earth System Science, Yonsei University |
| 2017 | Im Myeongsin Charles Surh Korean Gravitational Wave Group | Professor, Seoul National University Director, Academy of Immunology and Microbiology, Institute for Basic Science Korean Gravitational Wave Group |
| 2018 | Axel Timmermann Nam-Gyu Park Korea Aerospace Research Institute | Director, Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science Professor, School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University Korea Aerospace Research Institute |
| 2019 | Kim Ildu Inhee Mook-Jung Lee Jinhan | Professor of Advanced Materials Engineering, KAIST Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Seoul National University College of Medicine Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Korea University |
| 2020 | Koh Gou Young Kim Beomtae Jang Hyesik | Director, Center for Vascular Research, Institute for Basic Science Director, Convergence Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Seoul National University |
| 2021 | Seok Sangil Lee Juni Choe Jaeuk Hong Jeongju | Professor, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology Professor, Pusan National University, Climate & Atmospheric Dynamics Lab Professor, Korea University, Department of Preventative Medicine Senior researcher, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Primate Center |
| 2022 | Ko Jeonghwan Jeong Sujong Huh June | Director, Korea Launch Vehicle Development Project, Korea Aerospace Research Institute Professor, Department of Environmental Planning, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University Professor of mathematics, Princeton University and distinguished professor of mathematics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study |
| 2023 | Kim Hail Seon Yangguk Han Sanguk | Professor, Graduate School of Medical Science, KAIST Professor, Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University Director, Quantum Information Research Group, Korea Institute of Science and Technology |
| 2024 | Kim Changyeong Baek Mingyeong Jo Ilju | Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University Professor, Department of Life Sciences, Seoul National University Professor, College of Medicine, Korea University |
| 2025 | Kim Baek-min Kim Jae Kyoung Park Ki-deok | Professor, College of Environment and Ocean Science, Pukyong National University CI, Biomedical Mathematics Group, Institute for Basic Science / Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, KAIST Director, Brain Science Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology |