Reason for Award

Professor Chos’s research is internationally recognized in the field of underground space development, regarded as the final stronghold for the survival of humanity. He pioneered the world’s first and leading safe and eco-friendly core technologies for sustainable underground space development. Through innovations such as water jet–assisted rock excavation and smart geophysical exploration, he has contributed to creating safer and more cost-effective underground spaces. In addition, by developing bio–polymer-based eco-friendly geotechnical construction materials, he has opened new markets and driven innovation in the field of geotechnical engineering.

Acceptance Speech

First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Kyungam Education & Cultural Foundation, Chairman Jin Aeon, and the members of the Kyungam Prize Selection Committee for bestowing upon me this great honor. It is an immense joy and privilege to receive this award, which was founded to carry forward the noble vision of the late Kyungam Song Geum-jo—who dedicated his life to the advancement of Korean industry, the promotion of scholarship, and the cultivation of talent—especially in this year marking the 20th anniversary of the Prize.

I am well aware that there are many outstanding engineers with remarkable achievements, and I am both proud and humbled to accept this award on their behalf. I regard it as a call to devote myself with even greater dedication to my work. This honor is not mine alone—it is the result of the devotion and support of many people. I wish to share this recognition with my family, who have shared every hardship and joy with me; with my mentors and colleagues, who opened the way for my academic journey; with those who have supported us in every administrative matter; and above all, with the current and former members of the KAIST Geosystems Engineering Laboratory, who, over the past 22 years, have trusted me and pioneered new frontiers together.

Joining KAIST in 2002, after serving as an Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania State University following my Ph.D., was one of the most important and fortunate decisions of my life. KAIST has provided an excellent research environment in which I could pursue my dreams. Guided by the spirit of “venturing into the barren fields where no one else dares to go,” I began my laboratory’s work, ultimately leading to the development of core technologies for the sustainable development of underground spaces—the final bastion for the survival of humanity.

In these times, when the weather changes from one day to the next, I believe I am not alone in sometimes feeling apprehensive about the uncertain future of our planet and humanity. While advances in electricity, communications, and computer industries are transforming the world at a breathtaking pace—much like the ever-changing skies—natural disasters such as typhoons, torrential rains, and earthquakes still take countless lives. As one who feels keenly the fragility of human existence in this vast universe, and as an engineer who has devoted my life to studying the earth—our foundation and home—I feel a profound sense of responsibility.

If I were to name the true driving force behind my achievements, I would say, without hesitation, my love for civil engineering—the discipline I research and teach. Believing it to be one of the most fundamental fields that determines the survival of humanity, I have pursued my research and nurtured talent with a deep sense of responsibility and pride. It is, I believe, because of this commitment that I am able to stand here today to receive such an honor. I will continue to dedicate myself to creating safe, eco-friendly, and sustainable new spaces within the earth—the last bastion for humanity’s future.

Finally, I would like to share this joy with my family—my beloved Soha, the one and only love of my life, and our sons.