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The Ho-Am Foundation announced that it held the 36th Samsung Ho-Am Prize ceremony at 4 p.m. on June 1 in the Dynasty Hall of The Shilla Seoul.
This year the foundation honored six individuals across five fields—science, engineering, medicine, the arts and public service—for major contributions to scholarly advancement and human welfare. Each laureate received a certificate, a medal and a prize of ₩300,000,000 (about $225,000). Total prize money awarded this year amounted to ₩1,800,000,000 (about $1,350,000).
This year’s winners by category are: Science (Physics & Mathematics) — Seongjin Oh (37), professor at the University of California, Berkeley; Science (Chemistry & Life Sciences) — Taesik Yoon (51), professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison; Engineering — Beom-man Kim (79), professor emeritus at POSTECH; Medicine — Eva Hoffmann, professor at the University of Copenhagen; Arts — Sumi Jo (63), soprano; Public Service — Dong-chan Oh (58), medical director at the National Sorokdo Hospital.
Notably, Medicine laureate Eva Hoffmann is a Korean-born overseas adoptee who helped unravel the mechanisms behind chromosomal abnormalities in oocytes. Public Service winner Dong-chan Oh, a dentist, has spent 31 years on Sorokdo Island treating people with Hansen’s disease and working to improve their quality of life.
About 270 people attended the ceremony, including the laureates’ family members and friends as well as Samsung executives. The program opened with remarks by Kim Hwang-sik, chairman of the Ho-Am Foundation, followed by the judging report from committee chair Eo Do-seon, the presentation of awards by category and acceptance remarks, and a congratulatory address by Yoo Hong-rim, president of Seoul National University.
The event drew international attention: Sven Lidin, president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences—the institution responsible for the Nobel Prize selection in physics and chemistry—attended. The Ho-Am Foundation livestreamed the entire ceremony for viewers who could not attend in person.
In his opening remarks, Kim Hwang-sik said, “We take great pleasure in honoring these laureates for their outstanding achievements. We celebrate their creative insight, scholarly passion and dedicated spirit of service, which have advanced science, technology, culture and the arts and helped build a more compassionate society.”
In his congratulatory address, Yoo Hong-rim said, “The Ho-Am Prize honors reason, action and beauty—the essential values of the human spirit. Even in turbulent times, the pursuit of truth and the defense of human dignity will remain engines of civilizational progress.”
The laureates also offered remarks. Seongjin Oh said, “Twenty years ago I did not even know what a mathematician was. Receiving this award is a dream I never imagined. Thanks to mentors and colleagues who helped turn my fear of the unknown into excitement, I will continue my work in pure mathematics.”
Taesik Yoon dedicated his award to his parents, who embodied diligence throughout their immigrant experience. Beom-man Kim said he believes technological development can help build a better world. Eva Hoffmann dedicated her prize to the Danish parents who raised her, the Korean relatives she located after a long search, fellow overseas adoptees seeking their roots, and the people of Korea.
Sumi Jo marked her 40th anniversary since debut by reaffirming her commitment to bring music to ever-wider audiences. Dong-chan Oh recalled his mother’s parting wish that he “treat people warmly, like a mother,” and pledged to continue caring for people with Hansen’s disease both in Korea and abroad.
The Samsung Ho-Am Prize was established in 1990 by the late Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee to honor Ho-Am Lee Byung-chul’s dedication to talent development and public service. Through the 36th awards, a total of ₩37,900,000,000 (about $28,425,000) in prize money has been awarded to 188 laureates.
Separately, as part of its educational programs for youth, the Ho-Am Foundation plans a special lecture on July 4 at the Daejeon Convention Center that will feature Nobel and Ho-Am laureates as speakers.
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