Launched in 2009 as the first program of its kind established by a private company, the Fellowship embodies the aspiration of POSCO’s founding chairman, the late Tae-Joon Park, who emphasized that “for a resource-poor country like Korea to advance into a developed nation, we must dedicate ourselves to cultivating elite scientific talent.”

The program selects young and promising researchers in Korea’s universities and research institutes, supporting work in four fields of basic science—mathematics, physics, chemistry, and life sciences—and two fields of applied science—metals and materials, and energy materials. Each fellow receives funding of 100 million KRW over two years.

In particular, the Fellowship has been a significant source of support for newly appointed assistant professors, helping them to initiate independent research and experiments at a time when external funding is often scarce. It has since been recognized as the “rookie award of the scientific community.”

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation will continue to encourage and support young scientists so that they may lead Korea’s scientific advancement and contribute to producing future Nobel laureates.