Professors Haecheon Choi, Cheol Seong Hwang, and Yongtaek Hong of SNU College of Engineering Receive National Orders of Science and Merit 


▲ (From left) Professor Haecheon Choi (Mechanical Engineering), Professor Cheol Seong Hwang (Materials Science and Engineering), and Professor Yongtaek Hong (Electrical and Computer Engineering) at Seoul National University   

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that Distinguished Professors Haecheon Choi (Mechanical Engineering) and Cheol Seong Hwang (Materials Science and Engineering), and Professor Yongtaek Hong (Electrical and Computer Engineering) have government honors in celebration of the 2025 Science and ICT Day.

The Ministry of Science and ICT annually presents honors on Science Day and ICT Day to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the development of science and information and communication technologies (ICT), aiming to boost pride and morale among scientists and engineers while encouraging national innovation in science and technology. This year, 157 individuals who contributed to the advancement of science and ICT and national R&D efforts were honored with orders, medals, presidential commendations, and prime ministerial commendations.

Professors Haecheon Choi and Yongtaek Hong of SNU Engineering were awarded the “Order of Science and Technology Innovation” in recognition of their contributions to the advancement of science and technology.

Professor Haecheon Choi was recognized for developing the world’s most advanced turbulent flow prediction technology, creating high-efficiency and low-noise fan designs inspired by biomimetics, and contributing to the establishment of nation-wide science and technology research systems. After completing his bachelor and master degrees in mechanical engineering at Seoul National University and earning his Ph.D. from Stanford University, Professor Choi suggested numerical algorithms for precise turbulent flow predictions, leading advancements in global turbulence research. He also developed turbulence prediction software, which he distributed freely to universities and research institutes in Korea, and licensed to a Korean company, thereby playing a pivotal role in upgrading domestic fluid mechanics research. Moreover, he conducted the world’s first research integrating biomimetics with fluid dynamics and contributed significantly to the commercialization of low-noise, high-efficiency bio-mimetic axial fans through collaboration with a Korean company.

Professor Choi expressed his deep gratitude upon receiving the prestigious decoration, stating, “It is a great honor to be recognized with such a distinguished award in the field of science and technology. I am sincerely thankful to all those who have contributed to and supported my research over the years.” He further remarked, “I remain firmly committed to embracing challenges and driving innovation in the continued pursuit of scientific and technological advancement.”

Professor Yongtaek Hong, a leading scholar in stretchable electronic systems, was recognized for his contributions to stretchable display technology, international standardization, and innovations in wearable device technology based on printed electronics. Professor Hong earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Seoul National University and his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. After serving as a senior researcher at Eastman Kodak, where he conducted research on flexible displays and X-ray image sensor arrays, he joined Seoul National University in 2006. Since 2010, he has served as the Chair of the Flexible Display Working Group under the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 110 (TC110), leading the international standardization of next-generation display technologies. Furthermore, he was elected a regular member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology in 2023 and a Fellow of the Society for Information Display (SID) in 2024, establishing himself as a globally recognized expert in stretchable electronics, including flexible displays and electronic skin sensors.

Professor Hong stated, “Receiving a national decoration is the highest honor and a great encouragement, but it also comes with an even heavier sense of responsibility to continue advancing science and technology. I will strive to develop future display technologies that cannot be easily replicated and to cultivate high-level talent.” He added, “I am deeply grateful to my students who have patiently worked with me on challenging research to develop practical foundational technologies and to my family for their unwavering support.”

Professor Cheol Seong Hwang of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, a globally renowned scholar in the field of semiconductors—the foundation of ICT—was awarded the “Hwangjo Geunjeong Medal”for his contributions to the development of ICT technologies and infrastructure through research on next-generation semiconductor devices/materials and his leadership in industry-academia collaboration. After completing his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. degrees in inorganic materials engineering at Seoul National University, Professor Hwang worked as a senior researcher at the Samsung Semiconductor Research Center before joining the faculty of Seoul National University in 1998. From 2014 to 2016, he served as Director of the Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center and has published 744 SCI-indexed papers in the fields of semiconductor devices, processes, and materials, achieving remarkable research milestones. In addition, he has mentored more than 140 master's and doctoral students, contributing to the cultivation of specialized professionals in next-generation semiconductors.

Professor Hwang commented, “I am truly honored to receive the Geunjeong Medal, which is awarded to public servants who have shown outstanding dedication in fulfilling their duties. I am especially grateful because I believe this decoration recognizes my 27 years of efforts in student mentorship since joining SNU.” He concluded, “I will continue to do my best in fulfilling my responsibilities as a professor for the remainder of my tenure.”


[Contact Information]
Jangyoon Bae, Office of Public Affairs, Seoul National University College of Engineering / 02-880-9147 / jybae311@snu.ac.kr