South Korea's Top 2% Scientists 2020

South Korea has 2,139 scientists on the 2020 single-year Top 2% list. That places South Korea 14th in the world by number of listed scientists. Seoul National University has the most listed scientists (191), followed by Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology (125).

Single Year

2,139

First year listed

Career Data

1,350

First year listed

World rank by count

#14

First year listed

Institutes

210

First year listed

Scientists in South Korea on the list, by year

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 list2020

Show the list

1Seoul National University191
2Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology125
3Sungkyunkwan University98
4Korea University93
5Yonsei University83
6Hanyang University81
7Kyung Hee University77
8Pohang University of Science and Technology76
9Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology50
10Kyungpook National University47

All 2,139 scientists

Single-year list2020

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	225	RR Ruoff, Rodney S.	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 15
2	275	PN Park, Nam Gyu	Sungkyunkwan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 16
3	751	SY Sun, Yang Kook	Hanyang University	Energy	Rank 22
4	827	CJ Cho, Jaephil	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 36
5	939	HT Hyeon, Taeghwan	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 40
6	977	HH Han, Heesup	Sejong University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 1
7	1,051	KS Kim, Se Kwon	Korea Maritime and Ocean University	Food Science	Rank 7
8	1,102	KK Kim, Ki Hyun	Hanyang University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 9
9	1,298	LS Lee, Sang Yup	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Biotechnology	Rank 4
10	1,575	RJ Rhim, Jong Whan	Kyung Hee University	Food Science	Rank 8
11	1,734	FS Fukuzumi, Shunichi	Ewha Womans University	General Chemistry	Rank 16
12	1,921	Park, Ju H.	Yeungnam University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 19
13	2,707	KV Kim, V. Narry	Seoul National University	Developmental Biology	Rank 107
14	2,715	LJ Lee, Jong Heun	Korea University	Materials	Rank 55
15	2,875	PS Park, Soo Jin	Inha University, Incheon	Polymers	Rank 19
16	2,903	LS Lee, Saro	Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources	Geological & Geomatics Engineering	Rank 18
17	3,040	WA Woodside, Arch G.	Yonsei University	Marketing	Rank 19
18	3,343	CW Choi, Wonyong	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 19
19	3,632	DC De Cooman, Bruno C.	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 68
20	4,006	SY Surh, Young Joon	Seoul National University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 138
21	4,102	NW Nam, Wonwoo	Ewha Womans University	General Chemistry	Rank 35
22	4,207	YJ Yoon, Juyoung	Ewha Womans University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 73
23	4,653	GZ Geem, Zong Woo	Gachon University	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 161
24	5,008	JJ Jang, Jyongsik	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 153
25	5,332	LH Lee, Haeshin	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 161
26	5,559	GS Gurunathan, Sangiliyandi	Konkuk University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 172
27	5,658	LB Lee, Byoungho	Seoul National University	Optics	Rank 38
28	5,757	BY Bang, Yung Jue	Seoul National University College of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 203
29	5,797	KD Kim, Dong Hyun	Kyung Hee University	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 31
30	6,004	KK Kim, Kimoon	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Organic Chemistry	Rank 101
31	6,966	CJ Choi, Jang W.	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 207
32	7,015	PT Park, Tae Gwan	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Pharmacology & Pharmacy	Rank 38
33	7,319	PF Pacheco-Torgal, Fernando	Sungkyunkwan University	Building & Construction	Rank 31
34	7,467	KD Kim, Dae Hyeong	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 215
35	7,476	YY Yi, Youjae	Seoul National University	Marketing	Rank 39
36	7,507	GB Grzybowski, Bartosz A.	Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 216
37	7,644	LJ Lee, Jae Sung	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 44
38	7,687	HS Hong, Songyou	Korea Institute of Atmospheric Prediction Systems	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 144
39	7,858	SH Sohn, Hoon	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Acoustics	Rank 15
40	7,929	Ok, Yong Sik	Korea University	Environmental Sciences	Rank 76
41	8,198	GS Granick, Steve	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Chemical Physics	Rank 166
42	8,455	KJ Kim, Jong S.	Ulsan University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 531
43	8,514	LY Lee, Young Hee	Sungkyunkwan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 242
44	8,692	KK Kang, Kisuk	Seoul National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 246
45	9,050	CS Chang, Sea Jin	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Business & Management	Rank 230
46	9,208	SB Sarkar, Biswajit	Yonsei University	Operations Research	Rank 43
47	9,487	PS Paik, Soonmyung	Yonsei University College of Medicine	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 347
48	9,682	SS Sul, Seung Ki	Seoul National University	Electrical & Electronic Engineering	Rank 33
49	9,847	KV Kalia, Vipin C.	Konkuk University	Microbiology	Rank 188
50	9,952	KH Kim, H.	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 173
51	10,014	KH Kim, Hae Won	Dankook University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 48
52	10,342	KJ Kim, Jin Soo	Institute for Basic Science, Daejeon	Developmental Biology	Rank 384
53	10,351	BF Barlat, Frédéric	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 178
54	10,479	LC Lee, Changgu	Sungkyunkwan University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 299
55	10,544	KI Kim, Il Doo	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 304
56	10,573	JS Jhung, Sung Hwa	Kyungpook National University	Physical Chemistry	Rank 67
57	10,784	YS Yoo, Sung Jin	Chung-Ang University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 127
58	10,810	RR Ryoo, Ryong	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Physical Chemistry	Rank 72
59	10,924	HW Holzapfel, Wilhelm Heinrich	Handong Global University	Microbiology	Rank 214
60	11,105	AC Ahn, Choon Ki	Korea University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 133
61	11,244	HC Hwang, Cheol Seong	Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center	Applied Physics	Rank 249
62	11,319	HJ Han, Jung Hoon	Sungkyunkwan University	Applied Physics	Rank 250
63	11,339	KS Kim, Sanghyun	Pusan National University	General Physics	Rank 77
64	12,096	IG Ikenberry, G. John	Kyung Hee University	International Relations	Rank 7
65	12,111	MV Mukhanov, Viatcheslav	Korea Institute for Advanced Study	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 119
66	12,123	SS Seok, Sang Il	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 345
67	12,356	LS Lee, Sang Min	Kongju National University	Materials	Rank 218
68	12,514	KJ Kim, Jong Seung	Korea University	Organic Chemistry	Rank 203
69	12,722	AS Ahn, Sung Hoon	Seoul National University	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 153
70	13,384	KJ Kim, J.	Seoul National University	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 127
71	13,673	NT Nam, Taewoo	Sungkyunkwan University	Information Systems	Rank 41
72	13,708	KS Ko, Seung Hwan	Applied Nano and Thermal Science Lab	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 380
73	14,033	ZY Zare, Yasser	Kyung Hee University	Polymers	Rank 105
74	14,356	BO Bang, Oh Young	Sungkyunkwan University	Neurology & Neurosurgery	Rank 865
75	14,364	BM Bong, Mimi	Korea University	Education	Rank 107
76	14,491	KK Kim, Kwang S.	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Chemical Physics	Rank 293
77	14,828	MS Myung, Seung Taek	Sejong University	Energy	Rank 278
78	14,945	LY Lee, Young Moo	Hanyang University	Polymers	Rank 118
79	14,954	MK Mills, Kenneth C.	Yonsei University	Mining & Metallurgy	Rank 3
80	15,032	LJ Lee, Jay H.	Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology	Industrial Engineering & Automation	Rank 184
81	15,073	PJ Paik, Jeom Kee	Pusan National University	Civil Engineering	Rank 46
82	15,343	LY Lee, Y. H.	Korea University Medical Center	Arthritis & Rheumatology	Rank 95
83	15,549	LC Lee, Choong Ki	Kyung Hee University	Sport, Leisure & Tourism	Rank 50
84	15,557	LB Lee, Byeong Joo	Pohang University of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 274
85	15,966	PH Park, Hyun Jin	Korea University	Food Science	Rank 76
86	16,439	LK Lee, Kuen Yong	Hanyang University	Polymers	Rank 140
87	16,477	JN Jeon, Nam Joong	Korea Research Institute Chemical Technology	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 454
88	16,588	OK Ok, Kang Min	Sogang University	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 66
89	16,719	LY Lee, Young Kook	Yonsei University	Materials	Rank 301
90	17,040	KJ Knowles, Jonathan C.	Dankook University	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 85
91	17,189	KH Kim, Hyungjun	Yonsei University	Applied Physics	Rank 392
92	17,310	LJ Lee, Jun Yeob	Sungkyunkwan University	Applied Physics	Rank 394
93	17,478	PS Park, Sungjin	Inha University, Incheon	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 472
94	17,744	PJ Park, Joo Hyun	Hanyang University	Mining & Metallurgy	Rank 6
95	18,154	CJ Chun, Jongsik	Seoul National University	Microbiology	Rank 369
96	18,219	RS Reddy, Salkuti Surender	Woosong University	Energy	Rank 359
97	18,265	CY Choi, Yung Hyun	Dong Eui University	Oncology & Carcinogenesis	Rank 659
98	18,313	OB Oh, Byung Hwan	Seoul National University	Building & Construction	Rank 89
99	18,346	KK Krishnamoorthy, Karthikeyan	Jeju National University	Nanoscience & Nanotechnology	Rank 503
100	19,107	SN Sankara Narayanan, T. S.N.	Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology	Materials	Rank 351
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Ranks 101 to 2,139The whole list, not only the top 100.

Every year since 2020Single Year and Career Data.

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Countries with a similar count

Single-year list2020

Spain2,767 scientistsin 2020

Switzerland2,622 scientistsin 2020

India2,313 scientistsin 2020

Sweden2,132 scientistsin 2020

Denmark1,515 scientistsin 2020

Belgium1,503 scientistsin 2020

Explore other countries

Single-year list2020

China12,955 scientistsin 2020

Japan4,484 scientistsin 2020

Taiwan1,097 scientistsin 2020

Hong Kong1,033 scientistsin 2020

Macau50 scientistsin 2020

Israel1,290 scientistsin 2020

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from South Korea are in the 2020 Stanford Top 2% list?

2,139 scientists affiliated with South Korea are on the 2020 single-year list, and 1,350 are on the career-long list.

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

On the 2020 single-year list, Seoul National University has the most listed scientists from South Korea, with 191. It is followed by Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology with 125.

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.