News

Prof. Hyong Seop Kim, Principal Investigator at AIMR (also serving as Prof. at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), South Korea), has been elected as the 56th President of the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials (KIM).

Established in 1946, KIM is Korea's largest academic society in the metals and materials field, with approximately 20,000 members. It plays a central role in the development of Korea's materials industry, hosting conferences in spring and fall where over 2,000 research presentations are made annually.

Prof. Kim has demonstrated leadership in both research and university administration at POSTECH, serving as Director of the Research and Business Development Foundation and Director of the Research Institute for R&D Strategy & Policy. As Editor-in-Chief of the academic journal Metals and Materials International, he significantly contributed to enhancing the international standing of Korean materials research by developing the journal into a world-class Q1 international journal.

Prof. Kim was elected as the 56th President following a vote by approximately 300 board members. His term will run for one year starting in January 2026. As 2026 marks the society's 80th anniversary, Prof. Kim is expected to lead efforts in expanding international exchanges to foster the growth of next-generation researchers and strengthen industry-academia collaboration, as outlined in his election platform.