University of Sciences

University of Sciences is a university located inside the region of the National Academy of Science in Pyongyang, North Korea. The university was previously called as "Institute of Natural Science".[2] UOS is geographically located in Pyongsong, South Pyong'an Province, North Korea. However, North Korean government appointed the area of science district to belong to Pyongyang for giving some privileges of Pyongyang citizens to scientists of NAS and students of UOS. As Kim Il Sung, a former leader of North Korea, emphasized the significance of education for gifted and talented students, UOS originally started as a branch of Kim Il Sung University on January 17, 1962. It was separated from Kim Il Sung University in 1985. In North Korea, this university is known as "Sujae Daehark (University for talented students)".[3] In South Korean mass media, this university is called "KAIST of North Korea".[4]

University of Sciences
리과대학
TypePublic
Established1967
PresidentKim, Jun-Nam [1]
Students3000
Location
Eunjeong-guyok, Science 1-dong, Pyongyang
,
North Korea
CampusUrban
University of Sciences
Chosŏn'gŭl
리과대학
Hancha
理科大學
Revised RomanizationRigwa Daehak
McCune–ReischauerRikwa Taehak

Top students of natural sciences or engineering in North Korea study at this university supported totally by North Korean government. Eighty percent of them is graduated from No.1 Middle Schools, which are science high schools for gifted and talented students in North Korea, and the rest twenty percent are medal winners in the National Science Olympiads (math, physics, chemistry, and biology) or national science quiz contests.[5] Unlike other universities in North Korea, students entering UNS have age limit. Equal or younger than 17 people are eligible to take entrance exam for UOS.[6]

Simply, UOS is the North Korean version of MIT.

It is known that many alums of this university are involved in projects for developing missiles and launching artificial earth satellites.[7]

Departments

There are six departments in UOS. Each department has five or six majors.

Physics

  • Theoretical Physics
  • Thermal Physics
  • Solid State Physics

Mathematics

  • Control Mathematics
  • Applied Mathematics

Chemistry

  • Theoretical Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry(material)
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Laboratory of Applied Chemistry

Mechanical Engineering

  • Plasma and Hydrodynamics
  • Mechanical Dynamics
  • Solid Mechanics

Notable alumni

Academics

  • Kim Ho (김호): Professor of Mathematics, University of Natural Science. He received his Doctoral degree in his twenties.
  • Kim Ha (김하): Professor of Physics, University of Natural Science,[8]
  • Jang Hyekyung (장혜경): Professor of Mathematics, University of Natural Science[9]
  • Kim Seo-in (김서인): A former head of department in Math Institute of the National Academy of Science of North Korea, the youngest PhD recipient of North Korea.[10][11]
  • Kim Kwang-hyun (김광현): A scientist at Laser Institute of State Academy of Sciences of North Korea. He became a junior associate in the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in 2015.[12]
  • Joseph Han: A North Korean defector and a physicist. He earned a PhD degree in nuclear physics from Texas A&M University.[13][14][15] He is the first North Korean defector to receive a doctorate from a university in the United States.[16][17]

Business

Politics, Government and Public Service

  • Kim Seung-du (김승두): Chairman of National Education Commission, North Korea [20]
  • Lee Kwang-ho (리광호): Minister of Science Education Department, North Korea [21]

See also

References

  1. His name is on the list of heads of major organizations in North Korea. 북한의 "KAIST " 리과대학 - NK조선 (PDF) (in Korean). Yonhanp News.
  2. "Institute of Natural Science (North Korea)". July 28, 2013.
  3. NK테크 브리핑. www.nktech.net (in Korean).
  4. 북한의 KAIST, 리과대학을 아시나요?. www.ytn.co.kr (in Korean). 9 March 2008.
  5. "Natural Science Academy". North Korean Economy Watch.
  6. 북한의 "KAIST " 리과대학 - NK조선 (in Korean).
  7. "北 미사일연구개발 두뇌는 제2자연과학원 | DailyNK".
  8. 북한과학기술연구 김일성대, 김책공대, 리과대학이 주도 (in Korean). March 2019.
  9. "YouTube". www.youtube.com.
  10. 동아사이언스 매거진 (in Korean).
  11. 북한 핵개발 과학자, 스파이혐의로 체포 ‘북한 무기정보 유출 심각’ (in Korean). 10 November 2010.
  12. 北 국가과학원 김광현 박사, 세계과학원 청년회원 등록 (in Korean). 17 November 2015.
  13. "North Korean refugee shares story of escape journey".
  14. "From Red Star to Lone Star -- How love of physics guided a young scientist from North Korea to Texas". 64 (18). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  15. "RFA: N. Korean Defector to Receive Doctorate in Nuclear Physics".
  16. 한국서 대학 졸업한 탈북자 죠셉 한, 美 핵물리학 박사 된다 (in Korean). 8 April 2016.
  17. "미국서 박사된 탈북민 김성렬씨…"한반도·국제사회 위해 역할"". MK. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  18. "NK Strategy Information Service Center". Archived from the original on 2014-06-26. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  19. "Nksis > 추천자료센터 > "통일한국에서 온 선물; 탈북민"". Archived from the original on 2016-01-31. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  20. 北교육위원장에 김승두 리과대학 학장-YTN (in Korean). 16 February 2012.
  21. [이윤걸이 쓰는 진짜 김정은 이야기] 떠오르는 ‘3대 신세력’ 실체 - 일요신문. ilyo.co.kr (in Korean).

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