KAIST Professor Emeritus Seong Punghyun Wins 'INSC Global Award'

KAIST announced on August 29 that Professor Emeritus Seong Punghyun (pictured) from the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering has been selected as the recipient of the '2025 INSC Global Award' by the International Nuclear Societies Council (INSC).

Professor Emeritus Seong is the second Korean to receive the INSC Global Award, following Dr. Lee Changgeon in 2012, marking the first time in 13 years for a Korean recipient.

Professor Emeritus Seong Punghyun. Courtesy of KAIST

Professor Emeritus Seong served as a professor at KAIST from 1991 to 2020, and has held positions such as President of the Korean Nuclear Society, member of the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, and member of the Nuclear Promotion Commission in Korea.

The INSC Global Award, which Professor Emeritus Seong will receive, is presented to individuals or organizations who have contributed to society through the peaceful, sustainable, and responsible use of nuclear technology.

Established in 1990, INSC currently represents over 120,000 professional members by bringing together nuclear societies from 38 countries worldwide, as well as Women in Nuclear Global (WiN-Global).

INSC focuses on raising global awareness of nuclear energy as a key energy source for addressing climate change, and on promoting the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) and next-generation reactors. It emphasizes the contributions of nuclear energy not only to power generation but also to district heating, seawater desalination, and industrial heat supply, while supporting related research and development efforts.

The award ceremony will be held on September 17 at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, during the 69th IAEA General Conference.

Professor Emeritus Seong stated, "Nuclear energy does not have a negative impact on the climate and is a safe and economical energy source capable of producing large amounts of energy," adding, "This award is an international recognition of South Korea's contribution to the peaceful use and advancement of global nuclear technology."