Hanwha and KAIST Launch Fourth Cohort of "Ujui Joyakdol" to Foster Middle School Space Talent

Six-Month Training Program Begins
Overseas Exploration Opportunities for Graduates

The fourth cohort of "Ujui Joyakdol," a space talent development program for middle school students jointly operated by Hanwha Space Hub, Hanwha Group's space business council, and KAIST, has officially begun. This year, 1,455 middle school students from across the country applied, resulting in a competition rate of 48.5 to 1, and 30 students were selected to participate in the program.

The fourth cohort of the space talent development program, "Pebbles of the Universe," kicked off its first course on July 26 at the Hanwha Building in Janggyo-dong with the "Space Humanities Conference." A group photo was taken with the first lecturer, former Gwacheon National Science Museum Director Lee Jungmo. Photo by Hanwha

According to Hanwha on July 28, the fourth cohort of "Ujui Joyakdol" kicked off its main schedule with the "Space Humanities Conference," which was held two days ago at the Hanwha Building in Janggyo-dong, Seoul. This conference, themed "Exploration Beyond the Solar System," was designed to stimulate students' imagination and philosophical thinking. Lee Jungmo, Director of Penguin Science Museum, opened the event with a lecture on "Communication with Extraterrestrials," introducing various cases and leading an active discussion with the students. Science communicator Gwiedo then gave a lecture titled "Voyage Beyond the Universe," during which students posed questions that bridged science and philosophy, such as extraterrestrial life, artificial intelligence (AI), and self-awareness.

The second conference will be held on August 9 at KAIST in Daejeon. Kim Eul, CEO of Satrec Initiative, and science fiction writer Bae Myunghoon are scheduled to speak. After the conference, students will participate in the "Space Mission Project" with KAIST faculty. Through mentoring, students will conduct conceptual design for space exploration missions, carrying out projects in a format similar to actual master's and doctoral programs.

Graduates of the program will receive a certificate of completion signed by the KAIST president, opportunities to enroll in gifted education programs, and benefits such as overseas visits to NASA. Networking with previous graduates is also supported. A Hanwha representative stated, "'Ujui Joyakdol' is Hanwha's long-term investment and educational initiative for nurturing space talent," adding, "The imagination and creativity of students will become the driving force for the future space industry."

In addition, Hanwha is committed to educating future generations through programs such as "Hanwha Science Challenge" for high school students and the environmental education program "Making Clear Schools" for elementary students.