**Translation:**
At the 50th Anniversary Event of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies
Established with the commitment of the late former chairman Choi Jong-hyun, who emphasized talent
“Talent that addresses social issues will become even more important”
Eldest daughter Yoon-jung Choi and eldest son In-geun Choi attended the event
“Nurturing future talent is their responsibility”
On the 26th, Chey Tae-won (on the right), Chairman of SK Group, spoke at the ‘Talent Talk’ session of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies’ 50th-anniversary Future Talent Conference held at the Walker Hill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. [Provided by SK]
[Herald Economy=Hanyeongdae Reporter] “I believe what future talent needs is ‘design ability.’”
Chey Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group and Chairman of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, spoke about the type of talent needed in the AI era at the ‘Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies 50th Anniversary Future Talent Conference’ held on the 26th at the Walker Hill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.
Chey defined design ability as accurately judging what the problem is on one’s own and then allocating resources like time to find solutions effectively.
The Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies was established by his father, the late former chairman Choi Jong-hyun of SK, in 1974 with the belief that “planting a tree is for a decade, nurturing talent is for a hundred years.” The foundation’s name does not include the company’s name to emphasize its mission to foster talent responsible for Korea’s future. Chey Tae-won took office as the second chairman of the foundation in 1998, continuing his late father’s legacy.
During a Talent Talk session at the event, Chairman Chey defined talent in three aspects: knowledge, wisdom, and intellect, and stated that when talent is defined as individuals who guide society in the right direction, it is about intellect.
He also mentioned design ability, three-dimensional spatial awareness, and problem-solving capability as qualities future talent should possess. Regarding three-dimensional spatial awareness, he explained it as “first understanding one’s exact position and then determining the direction to pursue going forward.”
In terms of problem-solving capability, Chey remarked, “While our society encompasses diverse values, focus is currently on values related to wealth, but resolving social issues will (above all) become crucial in the future.”
Regarding education directions for talent, he emphasized the importance of encouraging talent to design their own career paths, or ‘self-design.’ He explained his father’s method of nurturing future talent was not just about fostering “smart but underprivileged individuals” but about sending elites to the U.S. to compete with the best scholars and shape talent that meets that level.
He went on to state, “It’s not necessary to be bound by overseas consignments or university education anymore; a new approach to design is needed,” stressing that education should evolve from singular forms to a more individualized education that values diversity.
While discussing the educational training program for undergraduates called ‘JaeNaeLim’ conducted by the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, Chey mentioned, “We no longer select students as scholars merely for being good at studies,” focusing instead on how smartly they can solve given problems.
Following the Future Talent Conference, the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies held its 50th-anniversary celebration, where the foundation’s achievements and vision were presented. With the use of AI technology, an image of the late chairman Choi Jong-hyun was portrayed to greet attendees. In the video, the late chairman thanked Chey Tae-won for growing the foundation beyond his dreams 50 years ago.
At the commemorative ceremony, Chairman Chey mentioned the proverb ‘thinking of the person who dug the well when drinking water,’ urging everyone to be someone who gives back what they have received, contemplating on the well that was first dug.
He also mentioned various social contribution programs led by SK, stating, “The Choi Jong Hyun Academy is focused on creating a global network and the field of scientific technology, while the Institute for Social Value is studying how to assess and develop academic content into reality.”
He continued, “We aim to create another platform that integrates and contributes to research activities, imagining a structure where knowledge circulates positively, cultivating intellect.”
Over the past 50 years, the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies has been involved in nurturing talent, international academic exchange projects, and sharing knowledge with youth. Even during times of crisis, such as the 1997 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, they pledged to ensure scholars could focus solely on academia. As a result, the Foundation has supported over 5,000 scholars and produced over 1,000 PhDs from prestigious global universities.
The Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies announced a new vision to cultivate ‘KFAS-type talent.’ KFAS-type talents are defined as: possessing multifaceted knowledge leading the fusion era (Knowledge-driven); defining future social issues with expansive thinking (Forward-thinking); solving issues boldly through collaboration (Action-oriented); forming a comprehensive community with voluntary contributions (Socially-conscious).
The event also saw the attendance of Chey Tae-won’s eldest daughter, Yoon-jung Choi, SK Biopharmaceuticals’ VP of Business Development, and eldest son, In-geun Choi, SK Innovation E&S Manager. Yoon-jung Choi attended from the Future Talent Conference to the commemorative ceremony. In-geun Choi attended the commemorative ceremony.
Concerning their attendance, Chey stated, “I had them attend to learn what their grandfather and father did,” and added, “The future generations should carry out their responsibilities.”