In a significant recognition of their contributions to the country’s advancement, two distinguished scientists, Dr. Kim Jae-gwan and Dr. Park Sang-dae, who played pivotal roles in Korean heavy industry and life sciences respectively, are set to be interred at the National Cemetery. The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 23rd that following the 19th National Cemetery Eligibility Review Committee held on October 10, both Dr. Kim and Dr. Park have been granted eligibility for interment at the National Cemetery in recognition of their significant contributions to national and social development.
The Ministry of Science and ICT had applied for their interment under the category of national contributors as per the ‘Act on the Installation and Operation of National Cemeteries.’ With the approval from the National Veterans Affairs review, Dr. Kim will be laid to rest on October 31, and Dr. Park at the end of November in the National Daejeon Memorial Park, per the wishes of their families.
Dr. Kim Jae-gwan, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 84, was the first and second director of the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science. He received the Innovation Medal (2nd grade) when the Order of Science and Technology Merit was established in 2001 for his foundational role in the industrial development of Korea through projects like the design of Pohang Steelworks and fostering indigenous automobile models. In 2023, he was designated as a science and technology contributor.
Dr. Park Sang-dae, who passed away this April at the age of 86, was an emeritus professor at Seoul National University and a pioneer in the field of DNA damage and repair. He led life science research in Korea, contributed to the establishment of the International Vaccine Institute in Korea, and founded the Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology. He was awarded the Creation Medal (1st grade) in the Order of Science and Technology Merit in 2014 and was designated as a science and technology contributor in 2021.
Under the ‘Act on the Honor and Support for Science and Technology Contributors,’ the Ministry of Science and ICT designates individuals who have greatly contributed to the advancement of national science and technology as science and technology contributors, providing them with honors and support.
Science and technology contributors receive a certificate under the President’s name, are inducted into the Hall of Fame, have their achievements published in records, and receive benefits in immigration processes among other honors and conveniences. As part of these honors, arrangements are made for the interment of deceased contributors in the National Cemetery, in consultation with their families.
Since the inception of the program in 2017, with the first designation of 32 contributors, a total of 85 have been designated to date, with additional designations planned for December 2024. Minister of Science and ICT, Yoo Sang-Im, emphasized the national recognition of the efforts and dedication of these contributors, affirming the continual promotion of their legacies and the cultivation of a social atmosphere where all scientific figures can hold pride in their contributions.