Cha Gi-cheol, the CEO of InBody, received the 29th National Academy of Engineering of Korea Award. The Young Engineering Award was presented to Oh Hyung-seok, the director of the Clean Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), and Hong Won-bin, a professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH).
Award recipient Cha Gi-cheol developed the body composition analyzer 'InBody,' which was the world's first to simultaneously implement direct measurements by body part and multi-frequency measurement technology. InBody has become synonymous with body composition analyzers and established itself as an international standard.
The National Academy of Engineering of Korea noted, "The technology developed under Cha's leadership over the past 30 years has been utilized for the prevention and monitoring of various diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and kidney failure," adding, "He has significantly contributed to expanding trade by establishing 13 local subsidiaries worldwide and exporting products and services to over 110 countries."
Oh Hyung-seok, the center director who received the Young Engineering Award in the industrial sector, is leading the development of technology that produces high value-added compounds using electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion technology. Professor Hong Won-bin, the recipient of the Young Engineering Award in the academic sector, successfully commercialized the core technology for 'antenna in package' and invented the world's first display-integrated antenna.
The National Academy of Engineering of Korea Award and the Young Engineering Award were established in 1996 to annually recognize engineers who have contributed to industrial development and engineering innovation in South Korea. The Young Engineering Award is limited to individuals under the age of 50.
The award recipient will receive a plaque signed by the president and a cash prize of 200 million won, while the two recipients of the Young Engineering Award will each receive a plaque and a cash prize of 100 million won. The prize money is fully funded by the Cricket Cultural Foundation. The award ceremony will be held at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on the afternoon of the 20th after the New Year’s greeting ceremony of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea.