President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee on Dec. 22 congratulated and encouraged recipients of a presidential science scholarship and winners of the International Science Olympiad in a “dialogue with future scientists.”
The Office of the President said the chief executive and his wife awarded certificates and medals to the scholarship students and commemorative medals and prizes to the Olympiad honorees.
In a congratulatory speech, the president said, “The free and convenient lives that we now lead is thanks to senior scientists who never gave up despite numerous trials and errors and ceaselessly pursued their own paths,” adding, “Please continue the challenge of pursuing your dreams.”
“Science develops when freedom and creativity bloom,” he added, stressing the importance of freedom of research, fairness of evaluation and proper compensation.
President Yoon also announced support for promising human resources in science, saying, “The government will be a stronger supporter of future scientists.”
The presidential office said the students freely asked the presidential couple about their dreams, ambitions, worries and interests in an informal dialogue.
Attending the event were 140 university freshmen and juniors who received the science scholarship, 44 middle and high school students who won events at the Olympiad, and nine group leaders from the tournament.

Source: Lao News Agency