The Bumseok Academic Scholarship Foundation announced on the 9th that it has selected Professor Kim Byung-geuk of Yonsei University and Professor Kim Seung-hyun of Hanyang University as recipients of the 29th Bumseok Award.
The Bumseok Academic Scholarship Foundation was established in 1997 to honor the achievements of the late Dr. Park Young-ha, founder of the Eulji Foundation, who dedicated himself to advancing domestic medicine and cultivating talent, and to contribute to the public interest. Each year, the foundation selects individuals who have contributed to the development of domestic health and medical fields and presents them with the Thesis Award and Medicine Award.
Professor Kim Byung-geuk, recipient of the Bumseok Thesis Award, conducted the "OCCUPI Study," which analyzed how achieving stent optimization using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with complex coronary artery lesions affects actual clinical outcomes, and what OCT evaluation indicators should be used for this purpose. The paper was published in The Lancet, one of the world's top three medical journals, simultaneously with its presentation at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). The research was recognized for shifting coronary intervention treatment from experience-based to evidence-based practice and influencing changes in clinical treatment guidelines.
Professor Kim Seung-hyun, recipient of the Bumseok Medicine Award, has led the advancement of domestic neurology as a pioneer in research on intractable neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and dementia, achieving multilayered results spanning basic research, clinical practice, and policy. He was particularly recognized for his contributions to enhancing international research competitiveness, including proposing new treatment paradigms based on translational research for ALS.
The award ceremony was held on the 6th at the Korea Press Center, attended by Park Jun-sook, Chairperson of the Bumseok Academic Scholarship Foundation, Park Jun-young, Chairman of the Eulji Foundation, Hong Sung-hee, President of Eulji University, and the award recipients with their families. Each recipient received a certificate and prize money of 30 million won.
Since 1997, the Bumseok Academic Scholarship Foundation has provided approximately 2.3 billion won in scholarships to 2,008 individuals. Including research grants for academic encouragement and the Bumseok Award, cumulative support has reached 7.4 billion won.
At the ceremony, Chairperson Park Jun-sook said, "We consider carrying on Dr. Park Young-ha's spirit of 'love for humanity and respect for life' a valuable endeavor, and we will faithfully continue our role in advancing medicine and nurturing talent without forgetting his legacy."