2026 Ho-Am Prize Ceremony Honors Six, Including UC Berkeley Professor and Soprano Sumi Jo

The 36th Ho-Am Prize ceremony was held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, celebrating six outstanding individuals for their exceptional contributions. This year's laureates include Professor Sung-Jin Oh from UC Berkeley for Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Professor Tae-Shik Yoon from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for Chemical and Life Sciences, and Emeritus Professor Beom-Man Kim from POSTECH for Engineering.

Further honorees were Professor Eva Hoffmann from the University of Copenhagen for Medicine, soprano Sumi Jo for the Arts, and Dr. Dong-Chan Oh, head of medical services at Sorok National Hospital, for Social Service. Each recipient was awarded a medal, a certificate, and prize money of 300 million Korean won.

Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong attended the ceremony for the fifth consecutive year, offering his congratulations to the winners and their families. The event, which saw approximately 270 attendees including Samsung executives and guests, also featured remarks from Ho-Am Foundation Chairman Kim Hwang-sik and Seoul National University President Yoo Hong-lim. Sven Lidin, chairman of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, a body that awards Nobel Prizes, was also present.

The Ho-Am Prize was established in 1990 by the late Lee Byung-chul, Samsung's founder, to honor individuals who have made significant achievements in academia, arts, and social development, thereby promoting human welfare. To date, the prize has recognized 188 individuals, awarding a total of 37.9 billion Korean won in prize money.

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Congratulated the winners and their families.