경희대학교

Research

Translating Human Motion into Robotic Movement

A student duo from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a high-fidelity robotic arm system capable of mimicking human arm and hand movements in real time As humanoid robots continue to expand across industrial and everyday environments, accurately reproducing human motion—particularly the complex movements of the arm and hand—has emerged as a central challenge in humanoid robotics. In response, the student team “I-Robot,” composed of Students Yoonsoo Lee and Juchan Lee (Mechanical Engineering, ’24), recently received the Director’s Award from the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards at the 20th International Robot Contest (IRC). The student duo team presented a system titled “A Real-Time Motion-Mimicking Robotic Arm System Using MediaPipe Vision Recognition.” The system captures a user’s movements in real time through a camera and converts them into precise robot control signals. When the user moves an arm, the robotic arm achieves real-time trajectory tracking, reproducing the motion with high fidelity. A key feature of the system is that it relies entirely on open-source, markerless vision technologies rather than costly commercial equipment. By integrating a single-camera setup with sophisticated control logic, the team successfully lowered both economic and technical barriers for advanced humanoid robotics. The project began with a clear goal: to build a motion-mimicking robotic arm that could be implemented even in low-budget environments. Rather than remaining at the level of theoretical modeling, the students undertook the entire development process themselves, from mechanical design and modeling to circuit configuration and component fabrication. The hands-on development process exposed the team to the technical challenges inherent in humanoid robot control. To reduce costs, the team actively adopted open-source software and 3D printing technologies. At the same time, they optimized the system’s structure by focusing on core human movements, including elbow flexion, wrist rotation and bending, and finger motion. The resulting system requires no wearable sensors or specialized equipment—only a single camera is needed to accurately capture and replicate human motion. The system operates on a structured data pipeline that processes human motion step by step, from recognition to control. This close integration of software for motion detection and computation with hardware for physical execution was reflected in the team’s development process. Student Yoonsoo Lee, who was responsible for robotic arm design and fabrication, and Student Juchan Lee, who led vision recognition and control software development, worked very closely from the earliest design stages. By evaluating control logic and physical structure as a single integrated system, they ensured that computational data were seamlessly mapped to physical actuators, translating digital inputs into real-world robotic motion. This collaborative approach played a critical role in completing the robotic arm as a unified hardware–software system. “The project showed that high-precision robotic systems can be developed even in resource-constrained environments,” said Student Juchan Lee. Student Yoonsoo Lee added, “We envision this technology serving as a practical solution in high-risk remote operations or clinical rehabilitation, bridging the gap between advanced robotics and real-world accessibility.”

2026.02.02

Research

Textile-Based Robotic Skin Aims to Enhance Human–Robot Interaction

A new collaboration between Kyung Hee and AI robotics firm Circulus Inc. is exploring textile-based robotic skin as a new approach to improving sensory interaction between humans and robots The joint research team has launched a project to develop textile-based robotic skin, a flexible outer layer designed to replicate human tactile perception and physical adaptability. The collaboration began following a public demonstration at the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju last October, where a humanoid robot wearing fabric-inspired attire reminiscent of costumes from the globally popular K-Pop Demon Hunters drew widespread attention. Building on that moment, the research has since evolved into a full-scale scientific initiative aimed at bridging the sensory gap between humans and humanoid robots. The project brings together a multidisciplinary team from Kyung Hee, including Professors Taekyung Kim of Big Data Analytics, Dokyoung Kim of the College of Medicine, and Seonju Kam and Hwa Kyung Song from the Department of Clothing & Textiles. The human touch, tailored: textile-based skin for humanoid robotsBuilding on its research strengths in textiles and advanced materials, the Kyung Hee research team is designing fabric-based materials that can be directly applied to robotic surfaces while maintaining high elasticity and durability. Unlike conventional rigid shells made of metal or plastic, textile-based skins allow for greater flexibility and deformation, making them more suitable for simulating human-like movement and touch. For Circulus Inc., which has recently advanced robotic cognition through the development of its Intel-based piCore AI board series, the collaboration marks an expansion of research from the robot’s “brain” to its “skin.” Through the joint project with Kyung Hee, Circulus aims to move beyond robots that simply perceive and execute commands toward systems capable of sensory-based interaction with humans. “Textiles are far more flexible and adaptable than conventional metal or plastic, making them the ideal medium for a robot’s sensory expression,” said Professor Song. Professor Taekyung Kim added, “By weaving sensors into the fabric, we aim to develop robots capable of distinguishing human warmth and physical contact and responding accordingly.” Park Jonggun, CEO of Circulus Inc., emphasized the importance of surface technology in the commercialization of humanoid robots. “For humanoid robots to be adopted in everyday life, reducing the psychological distance between humans and robots is more important than aesthetic appearance alone,” he said. “The collaboration with Kyung Hee is expected to establish a technological foundation that allows robots to coexist naturally alongside people.” The joint team plans to produce a prototype of the textile-based robotic skin by the first half of next year. The technology is expected to be applied to the humanoid robot MCR-1 and the MYBO care-service robot series, which Circulus is co-developing with Mand.ro Co. Ltd. and Roboworks Inc.

2026.02.02

Campus Life

The College of Music Presents a Night of Arias at the Grand Peace Hall

On the late afternoon of Friday, November 14, the day after the national university entrance exam, the All That Classic Season 2—Concert Opera, featuring L’elisir d’amore and La Bohème, was held at the Grand Peace Hall As the sun set behind the stone spires of the Grand Peace Hall, the venue provided a perfect backdrop for a special kind of healing. Designed for students who had just completed the national entrance exam, their parents, local residents, and the culturally underserved, this performance was more than just a concert; it was a musical embrace. Supported by the University Innovation Support Project, the event was held as a complimentary, invitation-only concert, allowing the College of Music to share its educational achievements while engaging with the local community by opening the stage to the public. The program featured highlights from Donizetti’s comedic opera L’elisir d’amore and Puccini’s masterpiece La Bohème. To ensure that even first-time listeners could enjoy the performance, internationally acclaimed soprano Professor Sumi Hwang warmly offered insightful commentary that illuminated the emotional landscapes of the two works. Music in action: a bridge for cultural sharing The stage also served as a vital educational venue for students to strengthen their practical skills. Under the artistic direction of Professor A Kyeong Lee, 15 young vocalists—selected through rigorous auditions—demonstrated their potential as the next generation of stars. These students prepared for their valuable debut performances in collaboration with the professional Millennium Symphony Orchestra and the College of Music Choir. The production was elevated by a team of world-class experts. Director Euiju Lee, the first Korean director invited to Teatro Verdi Salerno in Italy, and the baton of young maestro Young-Sun Choi brought a high level of artistic completion to the stage. Additionally, Professor Jiyoung Kim of the School of Dance, a world-famous prima ballerina, led the choreography to create an even more visually enriched performance. The College of Music has consistently held events to share its educational innovation with the community. This follows the 70th-anniversary concert All That Classic: Sustainable Tomorrow held last May. “This performance achieved the dual success of contributing to society while providing our students with indispensable stage experience,” said Professor A Kyeong Lee. “We will continue the tradition of Kyung Hee Music, where social contribution is a core educational goal, to nurture talent that will eventually grace the global stage.”

2026.02.02

Research

On Becoming a Physician-Scientist: Insights from a World-Renowned Kyung Hee Alum

Kyung Hee Eminent Scholar Professor Ik-Kyung Jang of Harvard Medical School led Mentoring Program for Outstanding Undergraduate Research Students" On December 13th, 2025, the College of Medicine hosted the World-Renowned Scholar Mentoring Program for Outstanding Undergraduate Research Students in the Faculty Lounge of the Medical Building. The program welcomed Professor Ik-Kyung Jang, Eminent Scholar at the College of Medicine and Allan and Gill Gray Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Professor Ik-Kyung Jang is a chaired professor at Harvard Medical School and a practicing cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). He is internationally recognized for pioneering advances in cardiovascular imaging technology, particularly optical coherence tomography (OCT). He is also widely credited with helping establish the "Bench to Bedside" paradigm, a research philosophy that forges a continuous and reciprocal pathway between laboratory discovery and clinical practice. The mentoring session brought together Professors Ik-Kyung Jang, Young Buhm Huh (Dean, the College of Medicine), Tong In Oh, and Jinho Lee. Eight outstanding undergraduate research students selected from each lab also joined the expert panel. These students have already distinguished themselves as first authors in leading international medical journals, including The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Nature Medicine, European Heart Journal, Circulation, and the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, drawing attention from the global academic community. During the mentoring session, the eight outstanding young students posed thoughtful and candid questions to the mentoring panel, who were also their senior Kyung Hee alums. Students sought advice on the many choices they face as emerging physician-scientists, including how to balance clinical duties and research, how to navigate specialization versus interdisciplinary convergence, and how to approach overseas research and training opportunities. Rather than offering a single prescriptive "right answer," Professor Jang focused on the importance of context in shaping each individual choice. He emphasized the value of identifying a research question that invites sustained intellectual engagement and depth. He also explained that delving deeply into a single field and gaining experience across diverse disciplines are not opposing paths but natural, complementary stages that may unfold at different points in one’s career. Professor Jang also offered practical insights into bridging clinical experience and scientific inquiry. He explained, "A physician's clinical experience and understanding of patient data can serve as a starting point for meaningful research. The challenge lies in learning how to translate these clinical observations into well-formulated research questions." Professor Jang encouraged students to resist haste or the fear of missing out, advising them to pursue both research and clinical training at their own pace. He said, "The path to becoming a physician-scientist is not about who produces great results in a short period of time. It is a lifelong journey shaped by accumulated choices and experiences." His considerate advice carried a hope that the students would never lose sight of their inner questions that first drew them to medicine and science. Dean Young Buhm Huh reflected on the significance of the session, saying, "This mentoring program offered students an opportunity to reflect collectively on the kind of researchers and doctors they aspire to become. The College of Medicine will continue to support the cultivation of physician-scientists who bridge research and clinical practice, starting at the undergraduate level."

2026.01.26

Research

AI vs. BIO: A Stage for Startup Innovation at Kyung Hee

Kyung Hee has been selected for both the 2026 RISE (Regional Innovation System for Entrepreneurship) Project and the Seoul City Campus Town Project Startup Project (Startup Category) A dual designation that formally acknowledges Kyung Hee's accumulated achievements and efforts as a hub for the technology and new industry startup ecosystem. Together, the two projects establish a continuous support structure spanning the full startup lifecycle, from early-stage growth and technology commercialization to investment linkage, global expansion, and the cultivation of next-generation industry startups under the DIPS (Deep-tech Incubator Project for Startups) framework. "Campus Town Demo Day," a comprehensive presentation of Kyung Hee's startup support achievements, was held on December 4th at Orvis Hall on the Seoul Campus. Now in its fifth year, the event, themed "AI vs. BIO," brought together leading resident companies from both fields, not to declare a winner, but to show how two distinct logics of innovation might coexist, contend, and translate their technological prowess into growth potential. Designing Kyung Hee's entrepreneurial future with AI and BIO In his opening remarks, President Jinsang Kim framed the event around the tension between AI and BIO, saying, "This is a meaningful opportunity where new technologies and values converge, centered on the two pillars of AI and BIO. While AI represents a form of intellectual leverage capable of reorganizing global paradigms, BIO symbolizes sustainable technology that speaks more intimately to our daily lives, protecting life, health, and continuity. The convergence and competition between these two fields is a challenge that goes beyond industrial development and redefines what progress itself is meant to sustain: the future of humanity." This framing aligns closely with Kyung Hee’s founding philosophy of “Creating a Civilized World” under which the University has been pursuing a future society where technology and the humanities can coexist. Through the Campus Town initiative, that unique vision is translated into practice via startup support and industry-academic collaboration. President Kim concluded his opening remarks by saying, "I hope your creative ideas and spirit of challenge will inject new vitality into both the local community and the industrial ecosystem, allowing AI and BIO not only to compete, but to generate lasting forms of synergy and innovation." Following this opening, Professor Jae-Hong Park, Vice Director of the RISE Project (Seoul), presented a progress report on the Campus Town initiative and outlined the strategic direction of the RISE project. He highlighted Kyung Hee's growing capacity as a leading university in entrepreneurship, cultivated through its Campus Town project, and announced initiatives to launch a new type of Campus Town starting in 2026. Kyung Hee aims to increase the proportion of AI-based startups to over 50% and cultivate over 160 AI talents annually. Through these efforts, the University plans to establish a Triple Helix model of innovation that combines academia, industry, and institutes, thereby strengthening global competitiveness and deepening its contribution to the local community. Eight promising AI/BIO startups showcase their technological prowess and growth potential A total of eight teams from the AI and BIO fields participated in the 5th Demo Day. Through investor relations (IR) pitches, the participating companies shared their business performance and long-term vision while seeking investment opportunities. Technology-based business models spanning healthcare, content automation, task automation, sleep therapy, and new drug development were presented, drawing much attention. Kyung Hee plans to continue to enhance its AI/BIO-centered startup ecosystem by linking its Campus Town and RISE projects, and to strengthen its role as a startup hub where universities, regions, and industries grow together.

2026.01.26

Research

"Professor Kwangwoo Kim's Research Team at the Department of Biology Unlocks the Secrets of Lupus Genes"

Professor Kwangwoo Kim's research team at the Department of Biology develops MHC Genetic Variation Reference Panel Lupus-causing genetic variants identified through precise genome analysis of approximately 70,000 individuals Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a common autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakes healthy cells for foreign invaders and attacks them. While complex factors, including genetics, environment, and sex hormones, play a role, the exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Amidst this, Professor Kwangwoo Kim's research team has now brought the most generically complex region of the human genome into clearer focus. By developing a high-resolution analysis of genetic information in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) region tailored to the Korean population, the team analyzed genome data from approximately 70,000 individuals and identified key genetic variants that independently and jointly shape lupus risk. MHC region: Key to lupus genetic analysis The MHC region of chromosome 6 is dense, polymorphic, and notoriously resistant to conventional genome-wide analysis. Its complexity has long obscured the distinct contributions of immune-related genes, particularly within the HLA cluster and the complement system. Professor Kim’s team addressed this problem at the level of infrastructure, constructing a reference panel capable of simultaneously imputing HLA amino acid residues and C4 copy number variation, which significantly improved analytical precision. Applying this tool to genome data from approximately 70,000 individuals, including lupus patients and healthy controls, the team uncovered a stratified genetic architecture underlying SLE susceptibility. Individuals with reduced C4 gene copy numbers showed a roughly 1.4-fold higher risk of developing lupus compared to those without, while each additional copy of the gene was associated with a roughly 31% decrease in risk. Furthermore, it was discovered that specific amino acid mutations within the HLA gene alter the way the HLA protein binds to antigens, causing structural changes that can misidentify autoantigens as foreign invaders. When the C4 gene is reduced in number or an abnormally long untranslated sequence is inserted, complement protein production is reduced, increasing the likelihood of an immune system imbalance. These results demonstrate that the abnormal immune responses seen in lupus patients are intricately linked to genetic factors. Possibility of early diagnosis and personalized treatment: laying the foundation for precision medicine This study identified the genetic pathogenesis of lupus, establishing a foundation for precision medicine in autoimmune disease. By enabling reliable risk stratification based on specific genetic configurations, this research opens pathways toward earlier diagnosis and more individualized therapeutic strategies. It also reframes the MHC region not as an analytical obstacle, but as a tractable landscape that might hold more secrets for science and medicine. This study was conducted jointly by Professor Kim's team at the Department of Biology, Hanyang University, the National Institute of Health, and UNIST, with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea. The results were published in the December 2025 issue of Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (IF 20.6), a top-tier international journal in the field of rheumatic diseases, under the title, “Development of an MHC imputation panel highlights independent contributions of HLA amino acid residues and C4 copy number variations to SLE risk.”

2026.01.19

Research

Professor Jae-Young Um of the College of Korean Medicine Selected for the Global Basic Research Laboratory Project

Professor Jae-Young Um's research team at the College of Korean Medicine has been selected for the 2025 Global Basic Research Laboratory Support Project hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) with a research topic titled “Overcoming cachexia through modulation of cancer-related adipose-derived fibroblasts." Professor Um’s team has been selected for the 2025 Global Basic Research Laboratory (GBRL) Support Project hosted by the MSIT. The research team will receive approximately 1.5 billion KRW over three years to pursue a project titled, "Overcoming cachexia through modulation of cancer-related adipose-derived fibroblasts." While cancer is still commonly approached as a localized disease that can be surgically removed or chemically suppressed, it significantly alters the physiology of the entire body. One of the clearest manifestations of this systemic disruption is cachexia, a condition marked by progressive loss of muscle and adipose tissue, diminished treatment response, and severe deterioration in quality of life. Once body-weight loss exceeds five percent, clinical outcomes worsen markedly, and therapeutic options narrow, accompanied by a steep decline in the quality of life for the patient. Plans to identify head and neck cancers prone to cachexia and develop tailored treatment strategies Professor Um’s research departs from tumor-centric models that dominate contemporary oncology. She explained the unique nature of her approach and said, "Most cancer research focuses on the cancer cells themselves. However, our research team is interested in how cancer affects the entire body." The team investigates how cancer interacts with surrounding cells and reshapes the body as a whole. At the center of this work is the molecular-level transformation of adipocytes adjacent to tumors into cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the role this process plays in driving cachexia. The project concentrates on head and neck cancers, a category that includes malignancies of the brain, eyes, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, salivary glands, thyroid, and surrounding structures. These cancers are characterized by rapid progression and high metastatic potential, but they also carry a particularly high risk of cachexia. Because tumor location directly interferes with eating, weight loss is often both an early and persistent clinical symptom. By analyzing cancer-microenvironments specific to head and neck malignancies, the research team aims to clarify how fibroblasts derived from adipocytes influence systemic energy metabolism and tissue degradation. Their objective is not simply to suppress tumors indirectly, but to restore physiological balance in a way that mitigates cachexia while also constraining cancer progression. Professor Um explained, "Cachexia is common in head and neck cancer patients. Because they directly affect the patient’s ability to eat, weight loss is common." The research team proposes a new concept in cancer treatment, departing from conventional treatments that seek to directly remove or kill tumors. The cancer-microenvironment created by adipocytes and fibroblasts is manipulated to treat cachexia and create an environment that inhibits cancer growth. Professor Um said, "This is an indirect approach that restores balance throughout the body, resembling the holistic strategy of Korean medicine." Korean medicine excels at regulating the entire body, including nutritional status and energy metabolism. She plans to develop treatment strategies for various diseases, including cachexia, by integrating Korean medicine and molecular biology. As a molecular biologist, Professor Um has been conducting basic research on cachexia for nearly a decade. Beginning with studies of adipocytes, she has expanded her research to include white fat and the changes in fat associated with cancer. She said, "There was no definitive treatment for cachexia. It's a challenging field. I was selected after seven attempts at basic research lab programs on this topic." Global Basic Research Lab Program emphasizes internationalization capabilities, leveraging research networks The Global Basic Research Lab Program, which selected Professor Um research team, emphasizes internationalization capabilities compared to previous basic research programs. The change in the project presented a new opportunity for her team. Professors Su Il Kim of the College of Medicine and Kwang Seok Ahn of the College of Korean Medicine are participating as co-researchers. The research team will conduct joint research with the University of Toronto, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Building on their established collaborative network, the research team will elucidate key biological mechanisms related to cancer, adipocytes, fibroblasts, and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells. To achieve this, they will precisely analyze adipocyte changes, CAF formation & function regulation, and EMT induction at the molecular level. The team will develop a predictive model based on clinical data from actual cancer patients. They will then conduct validation experiments in animal models. Furthermore, they aim to develop this model into a precision medicine-based treatment strategy, enabling clinical application. They will share equipment with international researchers to generate analytical data. The team's primary collaborative effort is a student-researcher exchange program, which broadens the depth and breadth of their research. Reflecting on the project, Professor Um remarked, “I have about ten years left before retirement. This feels like the right time to deepen, rather than broaden, my work. I want to fully clarify the proteins associated with adipocytes and the pathological mechanisms they drive.” She added that among the eleven projects selected nationwide in the medical and pharmaceutical fields, nine are advanced research efforts, including her own. “We hope this project will serve as a foundation for larger initiatives and demonstrate Kyung Hee’s capacity for academic convergence.”

2026.01.19

Academic

Turning Marine Waste into Material, Light, and Form: Crafted from Recycled Oyster Shells

Comprised of Students Chansol Choi, Donghwa Jeong, Geon Park, and Yujin Lee, OOZZ was launched in 2024 with support from Korea’s Preliminary Startup Package program for young entrepreneurs. Since its founding, the team has focused on material-driven design rooted in environmental responsibility, presenting its work at major design exhibitions including the Seoul Design Fair and design fairs in Tokyo. This year, OOZZ collaborated with Professor Youbin Kim of the Department of Industrial Design to develop SOLEIL, a living-space object brand that treats recycled material not as an alternative, but as a primary design condition. The project was carried out through an industry–academia partnership with GreenOceans, a startup that developed MikaOceans, a water-soluble resin derived from discarded oyster shells. By combining MikaOceans with biochar-infused concrete, OOZZ created a collection of four living-space objects: three lamps and a side table. Rather than concealing the material’s origin, the designs foreground its mineral texture and surface irregularities, allowing the physical residue of marine waste to remain visible as a defining visual element. Soleil: a living-space object brand defined by unique recycled material The DDP Design Fair University Collaboration Program brings together design students and domestic industry partners to develop and exhibit fully realized products. Finalists are selected through evaluations by experts, peers, and the general public at the Young Designer Exhibition. Among 19 university teams from the Seoul metropolitan area, OOZZ received the highest overall evaluation. Under Professor Kim’s guidance, OOZZ developed four products—three lamps and a side table—drawing on modernist architectural references and the structural qualities of oyster shells. The team explored reduced forms, vertical compositions, and controlled apertures, focusing on how material behavior could inform both form and function. Through repeated experimentation with material combinations and fabrication methods, OOZZ strengthened not only its design sensibility but also its technical understanding of real-world production constraints. These efforts led to a material-related patent application and the publication of academic research—steps that helped strengthen understanding of, and confidence in, eco-friendly materials. The SOLEIL brand draws from the architectural concept of brise-soleil, a façade-based shading system that redirects incoming sunlight to improve thermal comfort. Reinterpreting this architectural logic at the scale of domestic products, the team employed controlled light paths and carefully calibrated surface depth. The products were refined through accumulated lighting data and ongoing dialogue with mentors and industry experts. Toward credible, material-based sustainability OOZZ’s long-term goal is to expand the everyday use of sustainable materials by establishing their design credibility. “As eco-friendly materials continue to diversify, designers play a key role in shaping how they are perceived,” said Student Chansol Choi. “When the inherent characteristics of these materials are properly understood and applied, public perception can shift naturally. OOZZ intends to contribute at a critical point in that process.” Professor Youbin Kim emphasized the broader significance of the project. “As ESG and the SDGs become central social agendas, sustainable design education is increasingly important,” she said. “SOLEIL is the result of practice-oriented education combined with students’ commitment. It demonstrates how design can translate social values into tangible form.”

2025.12.29

Research

Kyung Hee Doctoral Research Integrated into Latest U.S. Nuclear Safety Code Update

Research conducted by Student In Gyu Chang, a doctoral student in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, has been officially integrated into the latest revisions to NRCDose3 v1.15, a core regulatory radiation dose assessment code used by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) NRCDose3 is a widely referenced safety benchmark for assessing radiation doses to nearby residents resulting from radioactive effluents released from nuclear power plants. In the United States, it is applied during the nuclear power plant licensing process and is also used internationally by research institutions and universities for educational and research purposes. Similar dose assessment codes are operated in Korea. Identifying structural limitations and proposing a new dose assessment code Student Chang identified a structural limitation in NRCDose3: its insufficient accounting for dietary patterns specific to Korea. To address this issue, he independently developed the KHU Code, a dose assessment code based on the NRCDose3 methodology but adapted to reflect domestic conditions. Using the new code, he conducted radiation dose assessments for residents living near nuclear power plants in Korea. As a result, Student Chang found that several key input parameters used in NRCDose3 deviated substantially from actual reference values, with discrepancies ranging from –69% to +39%. In total, five errors were identified, all of which affected the overall calculation process. Among them, the largest discrepancies appeared in dose assessments for carbon-14 (¹⁴C), a major radionuclide released in gaseous form from nuclear power plants and a significant contributor to public radiation exposure. The deviation was most pronounced in the one-year-old age group, where dietary intake assumptions play a critical role in dose estimation. If NRCDose3 had been applied directly to nuclear safety assessments in Korea, it could have resulted in an underestimation of radiation doses to the public. In practice, however, this issue did not arise, as Korea applies a separate dose assessment code rather than using the U.S.-developed NRCDose3. Cited by the NRC as the basis for code revisions The study was first published in March in the Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology under the title, “Potential Errors in NRCDose3 Code Version 1.1.4 and Correction Methods for Resulting Calculation Errors.” In September, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission cited the paper in an official report, identifying it as the basis for correcting inconsistencies in the NRCDose3 code. All five discrepancies documented in the study were subsequently revised and incorporated into Version 1.1.5 of the code, with the NRC report explicitly acknowledging that the findings originated from research conducted at Kyung Hee. This citation formally recognized the research team’s contribution to improving the reliability and accuracy of a core computational tool used in nuclear power plant licensing and safety assessments. The process concluded on December 30, 2025, with the publication of an official notice in the Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology announcing the correction of the five identified errors under the title, “Resolution of NRCDose3 Version 1.1.4 Errors in Version 1.1.5.” Kyung Hee is the only university in Korea to operate an educational nuclear reactor, AGN-210K, and continues to play a leading role in advanced nuclear research and workforce training, including studies on small modular reactors (SMRs). Professor Jae Hak Cheong of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, who supervised the research, noted that the outcome reflects international recognition of Kyung Hee’s research capabilities by a leading global nuclear regulatory authority. Student Chang added that he was encouraged by the opportunity to directly contribute to improving the accuracy of a core code used in nuclear licensing and safety evaluations.

2025.12.29

Research

Solving a Longstanding Bottleneck in Hybrid Rice Production

A research team led by Professor Ki-Hong Jung of the Graduate School of Green-Bio Science has developed a new hybrid rice production platform that precisely modulates self-pollination to enhance fertilization by external pollen Rice, a representative self-pollinating crop, exhibits a strong reproductive bias toward self-fertilization, as its own pollen typically reaches the stigma well before external pollen. This intrinsic characteristic has long posed a structural challenge to the production of hybrid rice seeds, which rely on cross-pollination between different varieties to enhance yield and resilience. To overcome this limitation, male-sterile rice lines—lacking functional pollen—have been widely adopted in hybrid seed production. However, conventional male-sterility systems suffer from inherent instability, making large-scale and consistent seed production difficult under variable environmental conditions. Reengineering hybrid seed production: precision control of self-pollination and visual seed selection To address this challenge at its root, Professor Jung’s team introduced a fundamentally different approach to hybrid rice production. Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing technology, the team generated rice lines with partial male sterility by targeting genes essential for pollen tube elongation. This strategy reduces self-fertilization without completely eliminating male function, allowing external pollen to fertilize more effectively. In parallel, the team incorporated a floury endosperm (FLO5) mutation, enabling hybrid and self-pollinated seeds to be readily distinguished by seed color. This two-line hybrid platform achieved a high proportion of hybrid seed production while remaining stable across diverse environmental conditions, effectively overcoming the limitations of conventional photoperiod- and thermosensitive male-sterile systems. By eliminating reliance on environmentally sensitive maintenance lines and simplifying seed selection through visual markers, the system substantially improves production efficiency and practical applicability. Importantly, the removal of CRISPR/Cas9 components in subsequent generations allows for the establishment of non-transgenic lines, providing a solid foundation for commercialization and regulatory acceptance. A new paradigm for the global seed industry Professor Jung emphasized that, despite their high yield and disease resistance, hybrid rice varieties have not fully realized their potential due to the technical complexity of seed production. “Conventional approaches rely on rigid systems that are difficult to manage at scale,” he said. “By precisely modulating self-pollination, our approach creates conditions in which external pollen can fertilize naturally, representing a fundamentally different strategy from existing technologies.” He added that the integration of a visual marker system—allowing hybrid seeds to be identified by color alone—addresses one of the most persistent bottlenecks in industrial seed production. “This platform has strong potential to evolve into a broadly applicable hybrid seed production system across diverse crop species.” Student Su-Kyoung Lee, a doctoral student at the Graduate School of Green-Bio Science and first author of the study, highlighted the system’s extensibility. “The platform is not limited to rice,” she noted. “Because it is designed around core reproductive mechanisms shared by self-pollinating crops, it can be readily applied to barley, wheat, soybeans, and other major crops.” She added that widespread adoption could lead to tangible improvements in both domestic and global food production systems. The platform developed by the research team is expected to generate wide-ranging benefits across the agricultural sector, including reduced hybrid seed production costs, higher productivity, and simplified breeding workflows. At a time when climate change is placing increasing pressure on global food systems, the study offers a promising foundation for more stable and scalable seed production. The findings were published online on November 6, 2025, in Plant Biotechnology Journal (IF=10.5) under the title, “Developing an Efficient System for Hybrid Rice Seed Production Using Partial Male Sterility.”

2025.12.29