Samsung SDI to Sponsor Korea's International Chemistry Olympiad Team From Next Year
Samsung SDI has signed an agreement with two Korean science bodies to train, select and send Korea's chemistry olympiad team to the international competition, and to pay scholarships to medal winners.
- 59th
- July 19–28
- 1992 (24th IChO)
- March next year
What Happened
Samsung SDI announced it has signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC) and the Korean Chemical Society (KCS) to sponsor Korea's International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) team. The signing ceremony took place at the Korea Science and Technology Center in Seoul. It was attended by Hun Kyu Kim, Vice President and Head of the People Team at Samsung SDI, Woo Sung Chung, President of KOFAC, and Kyo Chang Keum, President of KCS.
- Support for the training of the Korean IChO team, organized by the Korean Chemical Society
- Support for the selection of the team
- Support for the team's participation in the international competition
- Scholarships for students who win medals
Korea first takes part in the International Chemistry Olympiad, at the 24th IChO held in Pennsylvania, United States, and has sent a delegation every year since
Samsung SDI begins supporting training and selection of the Korean team and its participation in the international competition
Pre-registration opens for the 59th International Chemistry Olympiad
The 59th International Chemistry Olympiad is scheduled to be held in Taipei, Taiwan
“SAMSUNG SDI has continued its efforts to develop science and engineering talent through a variety of initiatives, including research support and educational sponsorship programs. We will continue to foster next-generation talent in science and technology.”
The International Chemistry Olympiad is an annual competition in which high school students from around the world compete in chemistry. Korea has achieved consistently strong results, according to the company. The sponsorship is presented as reflecting Samsung SDI's commitment to supporting young talent in basic sciences as they take on challenges on the global stage. The source also notes that other Samsung affiliates back Korea's teams in other olympiads: Samsung Electronics sponsors the International Mathematical Olympiad and International Physics Olympiad teams, while Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis sponsor the International Biology Olympiad team.
Why this matters
The deal puts a battery maker's money behind basic-science education rather than a product launch, and the source frames it as a contribution to Korea's scientific and technological competitiveness and to developing next-generation talent. The people directly affected are Korean high-school chemistry students aiming for the national team, who gain funded training, selection support and medal scholarships.
Terms in This Story
- International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO)
- An annual competition in which high school students from countries around the world compete in chemistry.
- KOFAC
- The Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity, a Korean organization that works on science and creativity education and is a party to the sponsorship agreement.
- KCS
- The Korean Chemical Society, the organization that puts together and organizes Korea's national chemistry olympiad team.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.