The Pony Jeong Foundation selected the two figures for their respective contributions to sports and science. The annual prize, established in 2020 as a companion to the Pony Jeong Innovation Award, recognizes innovators under the age of 40 who embody the challenge and innovation spirit of the late HDC Group Honorary Chairman Chung Se-young, founder of Hyundai Motor.
An Se-young Collects Wins Across Global Badminton Tournaments
An, a national badminton player in her twenties, has built a resume that spans multiple international titles. She joined the national team as a teenager and secured her first Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Tour singles title at the 2019 BWF New Zealand Open, where she defeated 2012 London Olympics gold medalist Li Xuerui in the final.
Later in 2019, she became the youngest winner of the French Open. Her subsequent tournament victories include the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games gold medal, titles at the 2023 and 2026 World Championships, the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and a gold medal at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. In April, she won the Badminton Asia Championships to complete a singles grand slam.
Beyond her on-court achievements, An drew public attention and support from younger generations by voicing criticisms regarding administrative practices within South Korea’s sports administration.
Kim Do-hyung Maps Atomic-Scale Reactions in Energy Research
His research maps atomic-scale reaction sites on solid catalyst surfaces to improve the efficiency of energy conversion and chemical manufacturing processes. His work has appeared in major journals such as Nature and Science, accumulating roughly 15,000 citation counts. In October of last year, he received the Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.
Pony Jeong Foundation Honors Young Innovators
Pony Jeong Foundation Chairman Chung Mong-gyu explained the selection rationale in the foundation’s announcement. “The Pony Jeong Foundation is honoring young innovators under the age of 40 who lead positive change and growth in our society,” Chung said. He described An as a pioneer who overcame persistent scrutiny and injuries to reach the pinnacle of world badminton.
Chung characterized Kim as a next-generation scientist developing new principles for sustainable energy and chemical processing through research that decodes nanometer-scale interfaces where catalysts meet liquids, stating that both recipients represent the Pony Jeong spirit of challenge, innovation, and social contribution.
Upcoming Award Ceremony at Pony Jeong Hall
Each recipient of the Pony Jeong Young Leader Prize receives a plaque and a cash prize of 50 million won. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 25 at the Pony Jeong Hall in the I’Park Tower located in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
