Prof. Hong (Right) receiving the Undang Grand Prize at the 2024 Undang Academic Awards Ceremony

Photo : KIPS (kips.or.kr)

     On December 30, 2024, Professor Hong Choong-seon from Kyung Hee University (KHU)’s School of Computing received the Undang Grand Prize at the 2024 Undang Academic Awards Ceremony. The award was originally established to commemorate the achievements of Undang Lee Joo-yong, the founder of KCC Information & Communication, the first Information Technology (IT) service company in South Korea. Today, it is organized by the Korea Information Processing Society (KIPS) and the Mirae & Soft Foundation (MSF) to recognize individuals dedicated to advancing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) academic research and technological development in South Korea.

The Undang Grand Prize is considered one of the most prestigious honors in IT. Prior to the 2024 Undang Academic Awards Ceremony, KIPS announced that they would select a researcher who has made exceptional contributions to IT field in South Korea. Under this initiative, Prof. Hong was honored for his continuous research activities and significant impact on the academic community.

Prof. Hong’s Outstanding Work in Global Research

     Prof. Hong has held several prominent positions, including head of the Korea Telecom Network Technology Research Institute, director of Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation at KHU, senior expert committee member at the National Research Foundation of Korea, and president of the Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Engineers. He currently serves as the Vice-president of Global Campus. 

His extensive research contributions are evident in both quality and quantity. As of January 2025, he has published more than 837 research papers and filed 135 patents. In the past five years alone, he has published 115 journal papers indexed in the Science Citation Index, authored two academic books, filed 66 patents, and registered 39 patents, demonstrating his world-class research in artificial intelligence (AI) networking. 

One of Prof. Hong’s notable achievements is the development of Mobile Segment Anything Model, an ultra-lightweight vision-based deep learning model for mobile applications, created as a part of the KHU's School of Computing research team in 2023. In August 2024, he continued his active academic engagements by participating in the US-Korea Conference on Science and organizing a forum on expanding US-Korea cooperation in space exploration. Later, on August 22, he attended the University of Leadership Forum as a panelist, and on August 23, he delivered a speech at the Research Vision Talk, where he discussed the future direction of university research in leading global advancements. 

Prof. Hong’s contributions have been widely recognized in the academic community. In 2023, he was selected as a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, one of the most prestigious organizations in the fields of electrical engineering and ICT.

An Honor Received from the Undang Grand Prize

     The Undang Grand Prize is a distinguished award that formally recognizes outstanding research achievements and academic contributions South Korea's IT field. It highlights the tangible impact of a recipient’s research on both academia and industry. The MSF has emphasized that this award is given to individuals who have demonstrated dedication to ICT scholarship and technological innovation. 

Its significance is evident from the list of past recipients. From 2021 to 2023, the award was presented to Choi Yang-hee, an honorary professor at Seoul National University (SNU) and former Minister of Science, ICT, and Future Planning; Oh Hae-seok, a chair professor at Gachon University, former presidential IT special advisor, and Chairperson of the Internet Policy Committee; and Lee Kyoung-mu, a chair professor at SNU and head of Interdisciplinary Program in Artificial Intelligence.

The Undang Grand Prize has consistently recognized outstanding researchers in ICT who have led groundbreaking advancements in their fields. This year, Prof. Hong was acknowledged among them, further highlighting his critical role in strengthening South Korea’s ICT industry and progressing the field of IT. This recognition goes beyond individual academic accomplishments and research publications; it formally affirms the critical impact of his work in shaping the future of ICT and enhancing South Korea’s technological competitiveness.

     With this latest achievement, Prof. Hong has solidified his status as a leading figure in South Korea’s academic community while also raising KHU’s reputation in research excellence. He remains actively involved in both research and education, advancing the next generation of scholars in network architecture and AI systems. His ongoing research is expected to further expand his academic contributions, while his work is anticipated to drive future industrial and technological advancements with significant impact on society.