KAIST Students Can Earn Scholarships by Hiking... 700,000 Won for Seven Hikes a Year

Junha Kwon, Chairman of Shiniksan Cargo Terminal, Donates
Establishment of "Misan Hiking Scholarship" with 500 Million Won Fund

The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on December 12 that Junha Kwon, Chairman of Shiniksan Cargo Terminal, has donated a principal-preserving will substitute trust fund worth 500 million won.

A will substitute trust is a system in which assets are entrusted to a trust company during the donor's lifetime and are automatically transferred to designated beneficiaries after their death. This particular donation will be managed as a scholarship fund, using only the income generated from the 500 million won principal, which will remain untouched. This marks KAIST's first-ever 'principal-preserving fund-based scholarship,' providing a sustainable model that generates a stable annual income of about 100 million won, allowing scholarships to be awarded on a semi-permanent basis.

Chairman Junha Kwon of Shiniksan Cargo Terminal (right) donated a principal-preserving will substitute trust fund worth 500 million won to the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

Chairman Kwon is an investment and management expert who has built stable assets through more than 30 years of long-term indirect investment after graduating from the Department of Economics at Seoul National University. To date, he has donated over 11.1 billion won to institutions such as Seoul National University, Sookmyung Women's University, Wonkwang University Hospital, and the Community Chest of Korea.

The 'Misan Hiking Scholarship,' established through this fund, is the first of its kind in Korea to be awarded solely based on hiking, regardless of academic performance or income. KAIST created this unique scholarship program at Chairman Kwon's suggestion to help students, who often face intense academic and research demands due to the nature of science and technology, develop physical strength and a sense of achievement through regular physical activity.

For 150 students per year... Awarded upon completion verification via the app

The scholarship is awarded to students who complete designated hiking courses using the KAIST-certified hiking verification app. Students who complete seven hikes per year receive 700,000 won, while those who complete four to six hikes receive 300,000 won. Each year, up to about 150 students are expected to receive this scholarship. The scholarship's name, 'Misan,' is derived from the pen name of Chairman Kwon's late father.

Chairman Kwon explained, "This donation method is very stable and low-burden because it allows the scholarship to continue using only the income while preserving the principal." He added, "The three best things I have done in my life are investing in funds, hiking, and making donations. I hope this positive influence will spread widely among KAIST students."