All Members of Korean Team Win Gold at Biology Olympiad for First Time in 7 Years... Every Entrant Medalist in Chemistry as Well

A Series of Triumphs at the International Science Olympiads
Four Golds in Biology, Two Golds, One Silver, and One Bronze in Chemistry

Korean students have demonstrated their outstanding abilities as science prodigies on the world stage, as all team members won gold medals at the International Biology Olympiad for the first time in seven years, and every entrant earned a medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity announced on July 21 that the Korean national teams achieved notable results at the 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Vilnius, Lithuania, and at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Commemorative photo of the Korean representative students who won awards at the International Biology Olympiad. From left: Jiyoon Oh, Minjae Kim, Jaeyoung Choi, Junsu Bae. Courtesy of the Ministry of Science and ICT

This year's International Biology Olympiad was the largest ever, with 302 students from 78 countries participating. The Korean team—composed of Minjae Kim (3rd year at Seoul Science High School), Joonsoo Bae (3rd year at Gyeonggi Science High School), Jiyoon Oh (2nd year at Seoul Science High School), and Jaeyoung Choi (2nd year at Korea Science Academy)—all won gold medals. This marks the first time in seven years that every member of the Korean team has received a gold medal.

The International Biology Olympiad is a competition in which high school students from around the world test their life sciences skills. The final scores are determined by weighting theory and practical assessments equally at 50% each. This year's event evaluated a broad range of theoretical knowledge in the life sciences, scientific thinking, experimental skills, and data interpretation abilities.

Jaegeun Kim, Head of the Korea Biology Olympiad Committee, stated, "By watching students actively debate the principles and logic of life sciences and interact enthusiastically with peers from around the world, I was able to witness the bright future of life science in Korea. I hope they will continue to nurture their talents and take on research to unravel the mysteries of life."

Chemistry Prodigies Also Prove Their Prowess on the Global Stage

The Korean team also achieved full medal honors at the International Chemistry Olympiad. Among 368 students from 92 countries, Sangyeon Kim (3rd year at Incheon Science and Arts Gifted School) and Jangho Lim (3rd year at Gwangju Science High School) each received gold medals. Dohoon Kim (3rd year at Gwangju Science High School) won a silver medal, and Eunseong Lee (3rd year at Daegu Science High School) earned a bronze medal.

From the left, Jeonghyun Jeong, Head (Dongguk University), Suhyeok Choi, Deputy Head (Yonsei University), Dohun Kim (Gwangju Science High School, Grade 3), Sangyeon Kim (Incheon Science Arts Gifted School, Grade 3), Jangho Lim (Gwangju Science High School, Grade 3), Eunseong Lee (Daegu Science High School, Grade 3) students, Sungjoong Kwon, Advisor Professor (Konkuk University), Kiyoung Park, Advisor Professor (KAIST). Provided by the Ministry of Science and ICT

The International Chemistry Olympiad bases final scores on 60% from the theory test and 40% from the practical test. This year, the competition comprehensively assessed knowledge in all fields of chemistry—including physical, analytical, organic, and inorganic chemistry—as well as practical experimental skills and data interpretation capabilities.

Hyun Jung, Head of the Korea Chemistry Olympiad Committee, said, "The experience of friendly competition with some of the world's best students will be a valuable asset, helping them grow into chemists equipped with creative insight and precise logic."

Meanwhile, in addition to the International Biology and Chemistry Olympiads, Korea plans to send national teams to other international science olympiads this year, including the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI), and the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.