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President of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)
Lim Ki-chul
Former MB Aide Targets Practical Science Hub
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Last Updated on Apr 20, 2026
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President of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST)
Life Summary
Lim Ki-chul is President of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST).
He is focusing on establishing GIST as a central research institution in science and technology grounded in a practical, truth-seeking approach.
He was born in Busan on January 1, 1955.
He graduated from Kyunggi High School in Seoul and earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial chemistry from Seoul National University.
He received a master’s degree and a doctorate in engineering from the graduate school of Seoul National University. He also earned a master’s degree in economics from the Graduate School of Economic Policy at Sogang University.
He worked as a visiting researcher at the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy at George Washington University in the United States and as an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Technology Management at Sangmyung University.
He served as director of planning, head of the research division, and vice president at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and later served as presidential secretary for science and technology at the Blue House under the Lee Myung-bak administration.
He took office as President of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in 2023.
He is the first president from a non-professor background among the four national science and technology institutes.
He also served as a standing commissioner of the National Science and Technology Commission, president of the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning, and vice chairman of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies.
He has also drawn controversy over political bias and unrefined remarks.
#GIST #LimKiChul #GwangjuInstituteofScienceandTechnology #sciencepolicy #Koreascience #STEPI #LeeMyungbak #technologyleadership #Koreanacademia #researchinstitution
He is focusing on establishing GIST as a central research institution in science and technology grounded in a practical, truth-seeking approach.
He was born in Busan on January 1, 1955.
He graduated from Kyunggi High School in Seoul and earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial chemistry from Seoul National University.
He received a master’s degree and a doctorate in engineering from the graduate school of Seoul National University. He also earned a master’s degree in economics from the Graduate School of Economic Policy at Sogang University.
He worked as a visiting researcher at the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy at George Washington University in the United States and as an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Technology Management at Sangmyung University.
He served as director of planning, head of the research division, and vice president at the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), and later served as presidential secretary for science and technology at the Blue House under the Lee Myung-bak administration.
He took office as President of the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology in 2023.
He is the first president from a non-professor background among the four national science and technology institutes.
He also served as a standing commissioner of the National Science and Technology Commission, president of the Korea Institute of S&T Evaluation and Planning, and vice chairman of the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies.
He has also drawn controversy over political bias and unrefined remarks.
#GIST #LimKiChul #GwangjuInstituteofScienceandTechnology #sciencepolicy #Koreascience #STEPI #LeeMyungbak #technologyleadership #Koreanacademia #researchinstitution