South Korean Researchers Secure Funding for Cutting-Edge Life Sciences Research

Seoul, South Korea – March 22, 2026 – Seven Korean researchers have been selected to receive funding through the prestigious 2026 Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP), the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced today. This achievement underscores South Korea’s growing prominence in international life sciences research.

About the Human Frontier Science Program

Established in 1989 by major developed countries, the HFSP supports innovative and challenging international collaborative research in the field of life sciences. To date, the program has supported over 8,500 researchers across 73 countries, with 31 recipients going on to receive the Nobel Prize. Ministry of Science and ICT

Funding Breakdown and Research Areas

This year’s funding was highly competitive, with a record 1,180 research proposals submitted. The seven Korean researchers were selected across three HFSP grant categories:

• Research Grants (3 researchers): Receiving approximately $300,000 to $400,000 annually for three years for international joint research.
• Accelerator Grants (2 researchers): Receiving approximately $100,000 annually for two years to expand existing HFSP research teams.
• Researcher Training Support (Fellowships) (2 researchers): Receiving approximately $60,000 annually for three years to support next-generation life science research.

Selected Korean Researchers and Their Projects

• Kim Jin-hyeon (Korea Institute of Science and Technology – KIST): Developing next-generation neural circuit control technology to selectively inhibit active synapses, in collaboration with researchers from Japan’s RIKEN and Stanford University.
• Taewon Seo (Hanyang University): Identifying the hidden underground ecosystem of mole rats using robotics technology, in collaboration with researchers at Tel Aviv University in Israel.
• Lee Gil-ju (Pusan National University): Identifying the optical principles of the unique eye structure of trilobites (from approximately 500 million years ago) to develop advanced optical technologies, in collaboration with researchers from Oxford University in the UK.
• Jaekyung Kim (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology – KAIST): Conducting mathematical model research to analyze the transmission ecology of ticks and viruses in a climate change environment, with researchers from South Africa and Turkey.
• Hyejin Yoon (Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology – UNIST): Identifying the biochemical pathway of fear signal generation based on metabolites, with research teams from the UK, Germany, and Canada.
• Hyunhyuk Tae: Studying the molecular mechanism of vesicle heterogeneity that determines cell secretory plasticity at Yale University, USA.
• Daehee Han: Studying synaptic signaling mechanisms in the motor learning process at the University of California, San Diego.

Government Support and Future Outlook

The Ministry of Science and ICT has actively supported Korean researchers’ participation in the HFSP through workshops and other initiatives. First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, Koo Hyuk-chae, stated that the selection of seven Korean researchers is “a remarkable achievement of our scientific community” and highlighted the increasing activity in international joint research within the field of life sciences. The ministry plans to continue supporting domestic researchers to foster global research cooperation.

Bae Kyung-hoon, the Minister of Science and ICT, is focused on advancing South Korea’s national goal of becoming a global leader in artificial intelligence, but likewise recognizes the importance of fundamental research in all scientific fields. Bae Kyung-hoon – Minister of Science and ICT Bae Kyung-hoon – Wikipedia