South Korea's Top 2% Scientists 2025

South Korea has 3,695 scientists on the 2025 single-year Top 2% list, up 5.6% from 3,498 in 2024. That places South Korea 13th in the world by number of listed scientists. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has the most listed scientists (200), followed by Seoul National University (196).

Single Year

3,695

+197 (+5.6%) vs 2024

Career Data

2,620

+254 (+10.7%) vs 2024

World rank by count

#13

No change vs 2024

Institutes

382

+90 (+30.8%) vs 2024

Scientists in South Korea on the list, by year

The single-year count has grown 73% since 2020.

Single-year list, change on the previous year

2021+26.9%

2022+9.8%

2023+8.7%

2024+8.0%

2025+5.6%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	2,139		1,350
2021	2,715	+26.9%	1,751	+29.7%
2022	2,980	+9.8%	1,901	+8.6%
2023	3,240	+8.7%	2,120	+11.5%
2024	3,498	+8.0%	2,366	+11.6%
2025	3,695	+5.6%	2,620	+10.7%

Top 10 institutes in South Korea

By number of listed scientists

Single-year list2025

Show the list

1Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology200
2Seoul National University196
3Korea University147
4Sungkyunkwan University134
5Yonsei University114
6Hanyang University96
7Kyung Hee University94
8Yeungnam University92
9Seoul National University College of Medicine91
10Pohang University of Science and Technology89

All 3,695 scientists

Single-year list2025

The first 100 are free to browse.

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Rank in South Korea	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	97	HH Han, Heesup	Sejong University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 1
2	213	SY Sun, Yang-kook	Hanyang University	Energy	Rank 8
3	254	RJ Rhim, Jong-whan	Kyung Hee University	Food Science	Rank 2
4	259	PN Park, Nam-gyu	Sungkyunkwan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 9
5	558	KK Kim, Ki Hyun	Hanyang University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 9
6	1,430	LS Lee, Sang Yup	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology	Biotechnology	Rank 5
7	1,531	SJ Sharifi-Rad, Javad S.	Korea University	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 20
8	1,555	RR Ruoff, Rodney S.	Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 49
9	1,791	SL Saro, Lee M.	Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 12
10	1,870	KS Kim, Se-kwon	Hanyang University	Food Science	Rank 15
11	1,981	Ok, Yong Sik	Korea University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 44
12	1,984	HT Hyeon, Taeghwan	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 72
13	2,100	CJ Cho, Jaephil P.	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 77
14	2,181	PS Park, Soo-jin	Kyung Hee University	Polymers	Rank 14
15	2,362	HM Hosseinzadeh, Mehdi	Gachon University	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 25
16	2,748	KV Kodur, Venkatesh K.R.	Ewha Womans University	Civil Engineering	Rank 10
17	3,247	TB Turner, Benjamin L.	Gyeongsang National University	Agronomy & Agriculture	Rank 21
18	3,567	KH Kim, Hyoung-seop	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 65
19	3,597	Kang, Hyun	College of Medicine	Anesthesiology	Rank 10
20	3,738	SS Salkuti, Surender Reddy	Woosong University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 202
21	3,946	FS Fukuzumi, Shunichi	Ewha Womans University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 54
22	4,108	HE Hollnagel, Erik	Institute of Resilient Systems +	Human Factors	Rank 7
23	4,255	SB Sarkar, Biswajit	Yonsei University	Operations Research	Rank 17
24	4,375	YJ Yoon, Juyoung	Ewha Womans University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 62
25	4,545	IG Ikenberry, G. John	Kyung Hee University	International Relations	Rank 6
26	5,083	AC Ahn, Choon Ki	Korea University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 265
27	5,286	KD Kim, Dae-Hyeong	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 192
28	5,347	PE Park, Eunil	Sungkyunkwan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 280
29	5,667	PJ Park, Juhyun	Yeungnam University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 297
30	5,758	AZ Ahmed, Zahoor	Korea University Business School	Environmental Sciences	Rank 119
31	5,870	GZ Geem, Zong Woo	Gachon University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 306
32	6,200	YD Yoo, Doo-yeol	Yonsei University	Building & Construction	Rank 50
33	6,362	KV Kim, V. Narry	Seoul National University	Developmental Biology	Rank 164
34	7,130	HC Hwang, Cheolseong	Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center	Applied Physics	Rank 155
35	7,188	CJ Choi, Jang Wook	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 254
36	7,437	BY Bang, Yung–Jue	Seoul National University College of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 205
37	7,624	KD Kim, Dong Hyun	KyungHee University College of Medicine	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 37
38	7,732	RS Rhee, Sue Goo	Yonsei University College of Medicine	Biochemistry & Molecular Biology	Rank 122
39	7,909	LB Lee, Byoungho	Seoul National University	Optics	Rank 39
40	7,980	CW Choi, Wonyong Yong	Korea Institute of Energy Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 28
41	8,017	VY Vasseghian, Yasser	Soongsil University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 163
42	8,308	Bhatia, Shashi Kant	Konkuk University	Biotechnology	Rank 29
43	8,609	KS Ko, Seung Hwan	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 303
44	8,653	MK Muhammad, Khan	Sungkyunkwan University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 430
45	8,732	DC De Cooman, Bruno Charles De	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 147
46	8,973	KK Kang, Kisuk	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 315
47	9,275	YS Yoo, Sung-jin	Chung-Ang University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 99
48	9,371	YY Yi, Youjae	Seoul National University	Marketing	Rank 64
49	9,602	YJ Ye, Jongchul	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology	Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging	Rank 13
50	9,804	SH Sohn, Hoon	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology	Acoustics	Rank 13
51	9,861	SY Surh, Young Joon	Seoul National University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 281
52	9,868	BL Byeong-Joo Lee, Byeong-joo	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 178
53	9,924	LH Lee, Haeshin	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 340
54	10,139	AM Ahn, Myoung-ju	SKKU School of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 290
55	10,197	LJ Lee, Jong-heun	Korea University	Materials	Rank 187
56	10,296	NW Nam, Wonwoo	Ewha Womans University	General Chemistry	Rank 36
57	11,072	KJ Kim, Jong Seung	Korea University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 134
58	11,174	GB Grzybowski, Bartosz A.	IBS Center for Algorithmic and Robotized Synthesis (CARS)	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 378
59	11,279	PY Park, Youngkwon Kwong	University of Seoul	Energy	Rank 297
60	11,320	JM Joshanloo, Mohsen	Keimyung University	Social Psychology	Rank 246
61	11,405	NT Nam, Taewoo	Sungkyunkwan University	Information Systems	Rank 54
62	11,516	RP Rentfrow, Peter Jason	Korea University	Social Psychology	Rank 248
63	11,615	LJ Lee, Jong-min	Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 391
64	11,680	TA Timmermann, Axel	Pusan National University	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 202
65	11,772	PJ Patra, Jayanta Kumar	Dongguk University, Seoul	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 146
66	11,856	LC Lee, Choong-ki	Kyung Hee University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 59
67	12,047	HS Hyun, Sunghyup S.	Hanyang University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 64
68	12,079	KE Kwon, Eilhann E.	Hanyang University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 262
69	12,296	SJ Shin, Jae Il	Yonsei University College of Medicine	Psychiatry	Rank 258
70	12,358	PS Park, Sangwon	Kyung Hee University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 66
71	12,462	CI Chung, Ill‑Min	Konkuk University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 160
72	12,661	KJ Kim, Jong-sung	University of Ulsan College of Medicine	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 625
73	12,721	PS Park, Seong-ho	Asan Medical Center	Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging	Rank 25
74	12,799	MV Mukhanov, Viatcheslav F.	Korea Institute for Advanced Study	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 160
75	12,845	SM Steinegger, Martin	School of Biological Sciences	Bioinformatics	Rank 41
76	12,978	AJ Ahn, Jiseon	Hanyang University Business School	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 71
77	12,987	LY Lee, Young Ho	Korea University Medicine	Arthritis & Rheumatology	Rank 76
78	13,242	KY Kim, Yong-ku	Korea University Ansan Hospital	Psychiatry	Rank 270
79	13,320	LJ Lee, Jae Sung	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 42
80	13,359	KJ Kim, Jihn E.	Seoul National University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 171
81	13,472	BK Back, Kyoungwhan	Chonnam National University	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 176
82	13,706	LY Lee, Young-moo Moon	Hanyang University	Polymers	Rank 95
83	13,781	KN Kwak, Nojun	Seoul National University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 664
84	13,912	RJ Rho, Junsuk	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 462
85	13,919	HJ Hur, Jin	Sejong University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 303
86	13,921	CB Cho, Byoungchul	Yonsei Cancer Hospital	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 408
87	13,980	BY Boo, Yong C.	Kyungpook National University (KNU)	Dermatology & Venereal Diseases	Rank 46
88	14,106	PJ Park, Jong Hyuk (James J.).	Seoul National University of Science and Technology	Networking & Telecommunications	Rank 145
89	14,313	YH Yuk, Hyunwoo	Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 481
90	14,380	RJ Roh, Jong–Lyel	CHA University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 426
91	14,481	MG Muthusamy, Govarthanan	Kyungpook National University (KNU)	Environmental Sciences	Rank 320
92	14,492	SM Shokouhimehr, Mohammadreza	Seoul National University	Materials	Rank 275
93	14,500	JE Jo, Eun-kyeong	Chungnam National University, College of Medicine	Microbiology	Rank 250
94	14,514	PK Park, Keunchil	Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan university	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 432
95	14,582	LD Lee, Donhee	Inha University	Marketing	Rank 101
96	14,680	Shah, Nehad Ali	Sejong University	Applied Mathematics	Rank 44
97	14,889	MS Myung, Seung-taek	Sejong University	Energy	Rank 416
98	14,919	JH Jang, Ho Won	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 504
99	14,953	PH Park, Hyun Jin	Korea University	Food Science	Rank 140
100	14,971	HW Holzapfel, Wilhelm Heinrich	Handong Global University	Microbiology	Rank 265
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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2025

Japan5,713 scientists

Netherlands4,727 scientists

Spain4,267 scientists

Switzerland3,549 scientists

Sweden2,666 scientists

Iran2,534 scientists

Explore other countries

Single-year list2025

China31,697 scientists

Hong Kong1,818 scientists

Taiwan1,470 scientists

Macau197 scientists

India6,236 scientists

Saudi Arabia2,110 scientists

All countries on the world map

Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from South Korea are in the 2025 Stanford Top 2% list?

3,695 scientists affiliated with South Korea are on the 2025 single-year list, and 2,620 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in South Korea has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2025 single-year list, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has the most listed scientists from South Korea, with 200. It is followed by Seoul National University with 196.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in South Korea changed since 2020?

On the single-year list, South Korea went from 2,139 scientists in 2020 to 3,695 in 2025, a change of +72.7%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.