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Tag: South Korea

SKKU Holds 1st Chinese Alumni Association

Posted on by SKKU

Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) announced that it successfully held its first SKKU Chinese International Alumni Association gathering in Shanghai, China, on September 5. The event was organized to bring together Chinese alumni who graduated from SKKU and are now active in various fields across China, while promoting friendship between Korea and China and building a sustainable global network.

President Jibeom Yoo and other senior university officials attended the event, along with approximately 170 Chinese international alumni of SKKU from across China. In particular, the alumni collectively donated RMB 66,000 to the university’s Global Development Fund, expressing their deep affection for their alma mater.

During the event, Minhyo Cho, Vice President of International Affairs, reviewed SKKU’s major achievements in education and research over the past two decades and shared the university’s future development plans with the alumni. The alumni responded with enthusiastic applause, expressing a strong sense of pride in SKKU’s progress.

The event also marked the election of Wang Qi (Department of Law, Class of 2010), who earned his master’s degree at SKKU and currently serves as the head of a company in Shanghai, as the association’s first president.

In his inaugural remarks, Wang said, “I am deeply grateful that my alma mater, which gave me such valuable learning experiences and memories in Korea, has become a strong source of support for its alumni in China. I hope the development fund contributed by our alumni will make even a small contribution to the university’s globalization, and I will do my best to serve as a bridge connecting Korea and China.”

President Jibeom Yoo said in his remarks, “It is deeply moving to see our alumni gathered here today, having grown and achieved so much while continuing to cherish their affection for their alma mater even across the vast landscape of China. I am especially grateful for the heartfelt contributions our alumni have made to SKKU. I hope this alumni association will serve as a starting point for members of the SKKU community to build closer connections with one another across national and regional boundaries.”

Building on the launch of the Chinese alumni association, SKKU plans to further expand its international alumni networks in key regions around the world. The university will also continue to support international students who return to their home countries after graduation so that they can successfully establish themselves and thrive in their local communities.

CNU Selected for Korea’s Southwest Innovation

Posted on by Chonnam National University

Chonnam National University (CNU) has been selected for Korea’s landmark “10 Seoul National Universities” Initiative, a national strategy to develop world-class research universities beyond the capital region. As one of only three universities chosen nationwide, CNU will advance a KRW 550 billion (approximately US$410 million) initiative over the next five years. The selection recognises CNU’s capacity to lead major projects in Korea’s Southwest region through advanced semiconductors, future energy and artificial intelligence (AI).

To deliver this agenda, CNU will establish its 18th college, the Advanced Convergence College, to train 300 students each year: 200 in advanced semiconductors and 100 in future energy. Company professionals will participate directly in teaching, while students will gain hands-on experience through workplace placements. Education and research will focus on solving real challenges faced by industry, preparing graduates to contribute effectively from their first day in the workplace.

Having established Korea’s first dedicated AI college in 2019, CNU will build on seven years of education and research experience to launch AI Hub University 2.0. The University will strengthen AI education across its own programmes, extend proven curricula and resources to regional universities, and ultimately open AI learning opportunities and infrastructure to the wider community.

CNU will also lead an university network of 27 institutions across Korea’s Southwest region. The network will share education content and research platforms in semiconductors, future energy and AI, while widening access to joint fabrication and clean-room facilities, project-based learning and collaborative research.

“This selection is a decisive opportunity for CNU to become a research-intensive university that leads balanced growth in Korea’s Southwest region and serves as a core hub for cooperation among local governments, industry, academia and research institutions,” said CNU President Keun Bae Lee. “We will cultivate the talent needed for future industries, build world-class R&D and AI capabilities, and create a sustainable innovation ecosystem.”

SKKU, Univ of Brasilia International Collab

Posted on by SKKU

The College of Art at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), led by Dean Byun Daniel H, and the University of Brasília (UnB), a leading national university in Brazil, successfully concluded an international collaborative creative residency held at UnB for approximately two weeks from August 1 to 15.

Supported by SKKU’s Anchor Project, the international collaborative project was first initiated in 2023 by Professor Yoon Yong Ah of the Department of Acting for Theatre, Film, and Television at SKKU and Professor Nitza Tenenblat of the Department of Theatre at UnB. The collaboration between the two universities in 2024 was also selected as an outstanding project under the LINC program.

At the time, Professor Yoon Yong Ah, former Dean of the College of Art Chung Ji Sook, and Professor Lee Junhee of the Department of Film, Television and Multimedia visited UnB and signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two universities. Building on this foundation and continued exchanges and cooperation, the second international collaborative creative project was launched in 2026.

This year, 15 SKKU students from the Department of Acting for Theatre, Film, and Television, Department of Film, Television and Multimedia, Department of Fashion Design, and Department of Fine Arts participated in the program. Professor Lee Kyungsung of the Department of Acting for Theatre, Film, and Television also joined the project as a new mentor, leading creative workshops and other activities.

Over the course of 15 days, the participants engaged in intensive creative collaboration with young Brazilian artists and completed a total of five short films. The completed works are scheduled to be screened on UnB TV, the University of Brasília’s public broadcasting channel, and will also be submitted to various film festivals.

Inha Develops Hanji-Based 3D X-Ray

Posted on by INHA University

▲ Overview of the film-based X-ray imaging material capable of conforming to curved surfaces of the human body and the AI-based 3D reconstruction system.

▲Realization of 3D images through the reconstruction of segmented X-ray images using AI.

Professor Donghyuk Park’s research team from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Inha University recently developed a 3D X-ray image reconstruction technology using traditional Korean Hanji through a joint research project with domestic and international researchers.

This technology reconstructs internal structures of the human body into 3D images using only three X-ray images. Traditionally, obtaining 3D images using X-rays requires dozens to hundreds of images, as in computed tomography (CT). However, the research team demonstrated the potential to reconstruct 3D structures using only a small number of X-ray images by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI).

The research team also developed a thin and flexible X-ray detection film based on cellulose, the main component of traditional Hanji.

An X-ray detector is a device that detects X-rays and converts them into images. Unlike conventional rigid flat-panel detectors, the film developed in this study can bend like skin and conform closely to curved surfaces. This can help reduce image distortion that may occur during the imaging process.

The key technology involves directly growing crystals on the surface of cellulose. The research team grew lead-free, environmentally friendly perovskite crystals on cellulose fibers. Perovskites are materials used to convert X-rays into light. Through this approach, the research team was able to maintain the film’s X-ray-to-light conversion performance while reducing its thickness.

The team then combined the technology with AI-based image reconstruction. The AI was designed to automatically identify specific areas of interest, such as bones, from three X-ray images taken from different angles. The identified information was then combined to reconstruct a single three-dimensional model.

The accuracy of the technology was validated through experiments using actual bird leg bones. The results demonstrated the potential to obtain 3D diagnostic information using existing X-ray imaging infrastructure without the need for expensive CT equipment.

This technology is significant because it has the potential to reduce radiation exposure and equipment costs. It is expected to have applications in emergency medical settings and regions with limited medical infrastructure in the future.

The study was recently published in the prestigious international academic journal ‘Nature Communications’ in recognition of presenting new possibilities for 3D X-ray image reconstruction by combining low-cost, eco-friendly materials with AI technology.

The research was jointly conducted by the research teams of Professor Donghyuk Park of the Department of Chemical Engineering at Inha University, Professor Kyusang Lee of the University of Virginia (UVA) in the United States, Professor Sang-eun Jo of Dongguk University, and Professor Kyunghak Kim of Hanyang University. Dr. Seokho Kim, a co-first author, earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Inha University and is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Virginia. He led the research together with Dr. Byungjun Bae and Dr. Dowan Kim.

Professor Donghyuk Park of the Department of Chemical Engineering said, “This research is significant in that it presents new possibilities for X-ray imaging diagnosis by combining an environmentally friendly material based on traditional Korean Hanji with artificial intelligence technology. We will continue follow-up research to develop this technology into a low-cost, low-dose 3D X-ray imaging technology.”

▲(From left) Dr. Seokho Kim (UVA), Dr. Byungjun Bae (UVA), Dr. Dowan Kim (UVA), Professor Kyusang Lee (UVA), and Professor Donghyuk Park (Inha University)

Original Article

Music AI as a Tool for Artistic Expression

Posted on by Sogang University

Sogang University held its June brown-bag seminar under SAIX Peers, featuring Professor Dasaem Jeong from the Department of Art & Technology. The session focused on the academic foundations and cultural implications of music AI — a field that has expanded rapidly as generative AI moves beyond language and image into the domain of sound and musical expression.

Professor Jeong introduced her research as spanning music informatics and music AI, with work covering score analysis, music generation, and expressive performance modeling. She shared that her doctoral project, an Expressive Piano Performance Model, was ranked second after a human performer at the 2025 ISMIR international competition. She has also served as General Chair of ISMIR 2025 and as a presenter and organizer at the Dagstuhl Seminar, reflecting sustained engagement with the international music AI research community.

The seminar was organized around three core questions in music AI research: how to encode music into neural networks, how to build scalable music datasets, and whether deep learning can function as a musicological research tool. Professor Jeong noted that music presents a distinct challenge compared to other AI domains — its representational structure requires handling multiple symbolic systems simultaneously, including scores, audio, performance data, and images.

A central case study was a project on AI generation of Korean court music based on jeongganbo — a traditional Korean musical notation system developed during the reign of King Sejong. Rather than converting the notation into Western staff notation, Professor Jeong’s team tokenized the jeongganbo symbols directly, allowing the model to learn the structural logic of the notation on its own terms. “Forcing Western notation standards onto the material,” she explained, “would compromise the structural characteristics of traditional music.” The resulting model was developed in collaboration with the National Gugak Center and realized in performance; the underlying research received the Best Paper Award at ISMIR 2024.

Professor Jeong also presented research on cross-modal conversion between audio and score images, using score videos — widely available on YouTube — as training data. The approach allows image-audio pairs to serve as mutual supervision signals without requiring separately labeled symbolic data, opening a pathway to large-scale music AI training from existing online resources.

The seminar also addressed broader tensions surrounding music AI. Professor Jeong observed that a perception of conflict between AI technology and human creative practice is generating new friction between music technologists and artists. She argued that the more productive question is not what AI will replace, but what kinds of tools can be designed to deepen human engagement with art: “We should be asking how to design technology that allows people to participate more fully in music — not what AI will take over.”

Participants agreed that music AI has the potential to reshape the experience of art itself, and that the field calls for ongoing dialogue between technical development and artistic practice.

Inha Awards AI-SW Mileage Scholarships

Posted on by INHA University

▲ Students who attended the CEN Scholarship Award Ceremony pose for a commemorative photograph.

Inha University’s SW Center for University Innovation recently hosted the ‘2026 CEN Mileage Scholarship Award Ceremony.’

The CEN Mileage System is a student growth support program designed to foster learning in artificial intelligence (AI) and software (SW) and to strengthen relevant competencies.

Scholarship recipients are selected by converting achievements across various domains—including participation in extracurricular programs operated by the center and major-related activities—into mileage points. Unlike traditional grade-centered scholarship systems, it sets itself apart by reflecting students’ multifaceted capabilities, diligence, and overall development process.

This award ceremony was held to encourage students who actively participated in AI/SW learning and competency development. Students who accumulated high mileage through active participation in various programs organized by the center were selected as scholarship recipients. A total of 9 million KRW in scholarships was awarded to 40 students, including ▲ 1 student receiving 700,000 KRW, ▲ 4 students receiving 500,000 KRW each, ▲ 8 students receiving 300,000 KRW each, ▲ 12 students receiving 200,000 KRW each, and ▲ 15 students receiving 100,000 KRW each.

The SW Center for University Innovation plans to continue providing diverse educational programs and support to further expand the AI and SW learning ecosystem.

It is expected that the CEN Mileage System will increase participation in AI and SW education, helping students strengthen their major competencies and job competitiveness.

Kim Geon-hoo, a student in the Department of Artificial Intelligence Engineering who received the highest scholarship of 700,000 KRW with the top mileage score, shared his thoughts: “I consistently participated in various extracurricular programs offered by the SW Center for University Innovation. I was able to gain diverse experiences that were difficult to encounter in standard major courses, and it is truly meaningful and rewarding that the learning and experience gained along the way resulted in this scholarship.”

Professor Kwon Koo-in of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering stated, “The core purpose of the CEN Mileage System is not merely to distribute scholarships, but to support students so they can voluntarily take on challenges and grow through various AI and SW educational activities. I hope this scholarship award serves as a strong foundation for students to develop into future AI and SW talents.”

Original Article

Alumni Donations Fund Three Inha Classrooms

Posted on by INHA University

▲ Attendees take a commemorative photo at the naming plaque ceremony for the ‘Han Bok-woo Classroom,’ ‘Kim Jong-hyun Classroom,’ and ‘Hwang Jung-hyun Classroom’ held at the Semiconductor Education Building.

Inha University held a classroom naming plaque ceremony by naming three classrooms in the newly constructed Semiconductor·Bio Education Building after alumni donors, in recognition of their contributions to the development of their alma mater and the cultivation of talent in the semiconductor field.

The naming ceremonies were held individually in the three classrooms located on the second floor of the Semiconductor·Bio Education Building. The event was attended by President Cho Myung-woo, alumni business donors, university officials, and prominent alumni in the semiconductor industry.

The three alumni honored through the classroom naming are Han Bok-woo, Chairman of Jenesem Co., Ltd. (Mechanical Engineering · Class of ’79), Kim Jong-hyun, Chairman of Unitest Co., Ltd. (Applied Physics · Class of ’81), and Hwang Jung-hyun, CEO of Inics Co., Ltd. (Electrical Engineering · Class of ’85).

Han Bok-woo, Chairman of Jenesem Co., Ltd., has continued to make donations for the development of his alma mater. With an additional donation of KRW 50 million to the development fund for the Semiconductor Specialized University Support Project, his total cumulative donations have reached KRW 111 million.

Kim Jong-hyun, Chairman of Unitest Co., Ltd., donated KRW 113 million through the development fund for the Semiconductor Specialized University Support Project and other funds, while Hwang Jung-hyun, CEO of Inics Co., Ltd., donated KRW 100 million to the development fund for the Semiconductor Specialized University Support Project, contributing to the cultivation of semiconductor talent.

The donations from the three alumni were used to establish advanced semiconductor education classrooms on the second floor of the newly constructed Semiconductor·Bio Education Building. Each classroom was named after its donor: the ‘Han Bok-woo Classroom,’ ‘Kim Jong-hyun Classroom,’ and ‘Hwang Jung-hyun Classroom.’

The classrooms will be used as spaces for education and practical training in the semiconductor field and will serve as educational spaces where students can develop their expertise in semiconductors.

At the naming plaque ceremony, President Cho Myung-woo said, “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the three alumni business leaders for their generous support for their alma mater and juniors. I hope that core talents who will lead Korea’s semiconductor industry will grow in these advanced classrooms, which embody the spirit and intentions of our alumni seniors.”

Original Article

Sogang Connects AI Research to Local Students

Posted on by Sogang University

On June 11, Sogang University’s Center for Teaching & Learning hosted a community outreach program for high school students, bringing university-level AI education to twenty-two participants from Sungmun High School. The program was developed in partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (Western District) and Sungmun High School, and was designed to help students build foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and explore related career pathways.

The session featured a lecture by Professor Jon-Lark Kim of the Department of Mathematics and Director of the Institute for Mathematical Sciences and Data Science, titled “AI and Its Story with a Mathematician.” Professor Kim traced the development of AI technology and introduced the mathematical principles underlying modern AI systems, drawing on a range of applied examples to make the material accessible to a high school audience.

The lecture covered recent trends in generative AI and illustrated how AI is applied in actual research and industry settings. Professor Kim also demonstrated a chatbot developed at Sogang, giving students direct exposure to a working AI system built on campus. A Q&A session followed, during which students engaged actively with questions about both the technology and its broader implications.

The program is part of Sogang’s ongoing use of its K-MOOC course offerings as a bridge between university research and local communities. The Center for Teaching & Learning has indicated plans to expand lecture and learning programs linked to K-MOOC content, with the aim of providing high-quality educational experiences to youth in the surrounding region.

Sogang Undergraduates in the Cleanroom

Posted on by Sogang University

Sogang University’s Semiconductor Specialization Program (ELITE) has introduced a new undergraduate course — “Semiconductor Device Fabrication” — offered jointly through the Departments of Electronic Engineering and System Semiconductor Engineering. The course moves well beyond process observation or equipment familiarization: each student individually designs, fabricates, and measures a silicon-based MOSFET device through a full CMOS process sequence carried out in a cleanroom.

The course enrolled 46 fourth-year undergraduates across 11 sections, supported by 6 faculty members and 11 teaching assistants. Of the participants, 40 are enrolled in the program’s Next-Generation Semiconductor major track or affiliated interdisciplinary track, making the course a direct extension of the ELITE curriculum’s broader goal of producing industry-ready semiconductor engineers.

Students progressed through the major unit processes of semiconductor manufacturing in sequence: photolithography, wafer cleaning, thermal oxidation, diffusion, thin-film deposition, and metal electrode formation. Following fabrication, they measured I-V and C-V characteristics of their completed devices and analyzed device parameters — building quantitative understanding of how process variables translate into electrical behavior.

The course was designed to develop three capabilities that conventional lecture-based instruction cannot easily provide: the ability to reason about the gap between design intent and actual process outcomes; a manufacturing-aware design perspective that accounts for process variability; and an individual device portfolio that students can present in industry recruitment contexts.

One participant, a fourth-year Electronic Engineering student, described the course as the most significant asset in her job search preparation, noting that her experience troubleshooting a process recipe gave her concrete, differentiated material to discuss in a recruitment interview at a major semiconductor company.

Professor Jinwook Burm, Director of the Semiconductor Specialization Program, stated that the course is intended to move students beyond process exposure toward genuine competency in semiconductor design, fabrication, and analysis — and that the program will continue expanding field-based educational opportunities as part of its commitment to developing the next generation of industry-ready engineers.

The ELITE program operates from March 2024 through February 2028 with support from the Ministry of Education and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT), with a mandate to build practical semiconductor education infrastructure — including cleanroom facilities, design laboratories, industry-linked coursework, and global seminars — for Sogang undergraduates.

Inha Holds August Commencement Ceremony

Posted on by INHA University

▲Graduates take commemorative photos at the 2026 August Commencement Ceremony held on the 21st.

▲President Cho Myung-woo delivers a congratulatory speech at the 2026 August Commencement Ceremony held in the Grand Auditorium of the Main Building on the 21st.

Inha University held its 2026 August Commencement Ceremony at the Grand Auditorium of the Main Building on the 21st.

At the commencement ceremony held that day, 1,143 undergraduate students, 436 master’s students, and 102 doctoral students received their degrees.

President Cho Myung-woo, Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae, Jungseok Inha Foundation Managing Director Kim Yun-hwi, Inha Alumni Association President Kim Jong-woo, as well as the families and acquaintances of the graduates, attended the commencement ceremony.

Dr. Nam Joo-hyun of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Dr. Kwak Min-jung of the Department of Multicultural Education received the ‘President’s Award’ at the commencement ceremony. Kim Sang-hyun of the Department of Mechanical Engineering received the ‘President of the Alumni Association Award.’

Ha Joo-hye of the Department of Media and Communication, who represented the graduates, said, “Inha University is the place that was with me through all of my first beginnings and made me who I am today,” adding, “Although we are now leaving the university and moving into the larger society, I believe that we will be able to successfully overcome the new challenges we encounter in the future because of the experiences we gained through facing challenges and growing at Inha University.”

In his congratulatory speech, President Cho Myung-woo said, “Although you are leaving Inha University today, you will always be Inha people,” adding, “I hope that wherever you are, you will be able to say that the time you spent at Inha was truly a wonderful time and that you were proud to be an Inha person.”

▲The 2026 August Commencement Ceremony is being held in the Grand Auditorium of the Main Building on the 21st.

▲Incheon Mayor Park Chan-dae delivers a congratulatory speech at the 2026 August Commencement Ceremony held in the Grand Auditorium of the Main Building on the 21st.

▲Kim Jong-woo, President of the Alumni Association, delivers a congratulatory speech at the 2026 August Commencement Ceremony held in the Grand Auditorium of the Main Building on the 21st.

Original Article