Samsung Awards Scholarships to Korea's Science Olympiad Winners

When Korea's teenage scientists swept gold medals at this year's international physics and biology olympiads, Samsung was there to celebrate their achievement with more than just applause.

The tech company awarded scholarships to 15 Korean high schoolers who medaled at the International Mathematical, Physics and Biology Olympiads in August. Executives from Samsung Electronics, Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis personally presented the awards at ceremonies across three campuses.

Korea's national teams delivered remarkable performances this year. All five physics team members won gold medals, as did all four biology team members. Korea placed first overall in both competitions. The math team earned three golds, two silvers and one honorable mention, finishing sixth globally.

These aren't just academic contests. The international olympiads bring together the world's top high school students from dozens of countries to solve advanced problems in math, science and biology. Korea has traditionally ranked among the strongest competitors, and results serve as a barometer for a country's future scientific talent.

Samsung's commitment goes deeper than congratulating winners. The company now funds the entire process of building Korea's olympiad teams. Samsung Electronics signed sponsorship agreements with the Korean Mathematical Society and Korean Physical Society last year, while Samsung Biologics and Samsung Bioepis partnered with the Korean Society of Biology Education this year.

These partnerships cover selection costs, training expenses and international competition fees. In other words, Samsung is investing in students before they even win medals.

The Ripple Effect

Samsung's bet on young talent extends across multiple programs. The company has sponsored Korea's WorldSkills Competition team since 2007, supporting students in vocational and technical fields.

In 2018, Samsung launched the Samsung Software Academy for Youth, which has graduated roughly 11,000 software developers. The program recently evolved into "SSAFY 2.0" with an AI-focused curriculum, preparing students for the technology landscape of tomorrow.

By supporting students from high school olympiads through software academies, Samsung is building a pipeline that strengthens Korea's entire science and engineering ecosystem. Today's gold medalists could become tomorrow's researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators.

The message is clear: investing in brilliant young minds today creates the breakthroughs of tomorrow.